How Online Games Like Roblox Are Inspiring New Readers

It used to be that video games were the polar opposite of books; flashy images, fast moving graphics, music, and a set pace. Books use the images of the mind, let you add your own epic adventure music, and allow for a reading style at whatever pace works best for you. This combined with the fact that more and more teens are playing video games instead of using their imagination while reading, has created a dividing wedge between the two forms of media.

Storytelling in Games

Even since the beginning of the video game era, there have been games revolved around stories. In fact, most single player games follow a linear story driven experience in which the player follows a set path causing them to experience both emotional highs and lows that are also present in books. From block buster experiences like Baldur’s Gate 3 that offer a Dungeons and Dragons like campaign in a video game format, to simple platforming games that really are nothing more than story telling experiences (A Story About My Uncle.) For many years now there have been good examples of video games with storytelling, and it doesn’t seem like there’s any indication of slowing down soon.

The Advent of Player Made Experiences

Roblox has always been a popular video game, primarily aimed at children and young teens, it offers a lego-like building experience in which anybody can make their own maps and creations. The game allows for scripted events to do whatever the mind thinks of. For the first time in video gaming history it was the player with all of the power, instead of the developer.

Over the years this has resulted in many popular worlds being created like Pizza Place, Natural Disasters, Hide and Seek Extreme, etc.. Many video game enthusiasts cannot say they haven’t played at least one of them in the past. As the popularity of different experiences changes over time, there is no denying the fact that some websites try to report on the best roblox games currently being played. A new world of content was created when every person had the ability to create their own little video game, and to this day Roblox reigns together with Fortnite and Minecraft as fundamental experience creators.

Literature Inspired Game Worlds

Because these platforms allow a user to make anything they want, there have been issues with copyrighted materials. Harry Potter fans might feel inclined to build a Hogwarts simulator, or Pokemon enthusiasts want to create a Pokemon game in Roblox. Often times these ambitions end up in fan created video game experiences and depending on the quality and stance of the copyright owners, they either succeed in keeping the worlds online or receive a Cease and Desist letter. Many creators instead opt to tweak the presentation of their world in such a way that video game companies cannot enforce their copyright claim.

The world of user created content is ever growing, not only with video games but also in social media. Will books continue to have a place in the lives of the younger generations? That remains to be seen.