Above: Top results on ROBLOX when searching for "Squid Game" under Experiences.
Depending on whether you're a parent or a gamer, this is either horrifying or seriously cool. Then again, if you're an executive at Netflix or at the only Metaverse platform listed on the stock exchange, you might feel a combination of both:
Squid Game, the incredibly popular Netflix series which premiered early this month, has already spawned hundreds of user-created game experiences in ROBLOX, the massively successful Metaverse platform. As I write this today, there are easily 300+ such listed Experiences that have already been visited over 80 million times.
To put that in perspective, that's likely more visits to Squid Game experiences in ROBLOX than viewers of the actual show on Netflix.
Couple minor potential issues here, though:
Netflix might not be super-enthused at all these imitations of its copyrighted series. Then again, as Netflix surely knows, Metaverse platforms without stringent IP protection policies always generate user-made copycats of various pop culture phenomenon.
On the other side, Squid Game the show is notoriously violent, with frequent onscreen mass killings and worse (watch the trailer above). While ROBLOX is a Metaverse targeted at young teens and pre-teens.
So that's interesting! Especially because ROBLOX's terms of use ban experiences depicting "overly violent content... including atrocities, massacres, and other shocking real (or pseudo-real) world events; and extreme violence, physical or psychological abuse."
I believe ROBLOX's creation tools make it difficult to depict extremely violent content (ROBLOX avatar heads and limbs aren't programmed for amputation), so most or all of these Experiences are probably very PG versions of games from the R-rated show.
Indeed, on my quick visit to one of the most popular Squid Game Experiences in ROBLOX (visited nearly 30 million times), it was mostly players hanging out in the show's player dorm room, waiting for their chance to risk death for cash prizes. (Or just hanging out with each other, enjoying their favorite show in an immersive environment.)
As for ROBLOX the company's take, I'm reaching out for an official comment, and will update this post when/if I receive one.
Much thanks to Dr. Fran for the tip!
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