U.S. Olympic team athletes make their debut on Roblox gaming platform
The Olympic world's ever-expanding quest to draw in young fans is meeting them where they are — on Roblox.
The U.S. Olympic team and NBC are collaborating with the kid- and teen-friendly gaming platform to produce a new "Obby" — that's Roblox for obstacle course — and other features that include ways to interact with U.S. athletes while also checking out highlights from the Paris Games and making visits to a virtual Team USA House called "The Vibe House."
This new Roblox feature debuting Monday includes animated versions of 20 U.S. Olympians, including a surfer, a skateboarder and two break dancers — all of whom represent sports that have been added recently to the Olympic program in hopes of driving young fans to the games.
"My sister-in-law said my nieces are going to be more excited about me being in Roblox than me being in the Olympics," said one of the breakers, 35-year-old Sunny Choi.
Roblox says more than half of its 77.7 million daily active users are between 11 and 26.
Choi and breaker Victor Montalvo will be featured in "Emotes" — animated versions of themselves that will feature some of their favorite dance moves. Four of their Emotes will be available for free, with the other available for purchase, and some of the proceeds going directly to the athletes.
The company says these are the first "official" Emotes created in Roblox based on real athletes and their actual moves.
"I did it because I just thought it was adorable and I'll take any opportunity to share breaking with the wider community," Choi said. "It's so great for kids. The messaging in the game, for me, is very much about 'Be you and do what makes you happy.' So hopefully, that resonates."