Caught in the middle of very ‘repetitive’ arguments defining video games in the Epic vs. Apple trial, Roblox has changed its terminology from games to ‘experiences’ to represent what the gaming platform truly offers. In addition, on the gaming app’s website, the ‘Games’ tab is replaced with a new ‘Discover’ tab.
The change is brought about thanks to Epic Games lawyer who asked about Apple’s classification of Roblox as a game or an experience. After a lengthy discussion, Apple defined the gaming platform as an experience for it offers millions of games and subsequently, Roblox adopted the terminology across its website.
Satisfied with Apple’s definition given during the Epic Games trial, Roblox replaces the term ‘games’ with ‘experiences’
Aiming to create doubt regarding the Apple App Store review process of distinguishing between an app and a game, Epic Games lawyer questioned the company’s Head of Marketing Trystan Kosmynka over Roblox’s approval on the App Store and its ‘app’ label instead of a game. Kosmynka replied that:
“If you think of a game or app, games are incredibly dynamic, games have a beginning, an end, there’s challenges in place. I look at the experiences that are in Roblox similar to the experiences that are in Minecraft. These are maps. These are worlds. And they have boundaries in terms of what they’re capable of.”
As the gaming platform allows millions of developers to create games, Kosmynka argued that those games are in fact experiences because they are designed with Roblox code, “Apple-vetted sandbox.”
Agreeing with Apple’s definition, the company spokesperson told The Verge that:
“The term ‘experiences’ is consistent with how we’ve evolved our terminology to reflect our realization of the metaverse. Roblox is an online community where people do things together in virtual worlds, and over the years, we began referring to these worlds as experiences, as they better represent the wide range of 3D immersive places – from obbys to virtual concerts – that people can enjoy together with their friends.”
The gaming platform has updated it about information with the new terminology which reads:
Roblox’s mission is to bring the world together through play. We enable anyone to imagine, create, and have fun with friends as they explore millions of immersive 3D experiences, all built by a global community of developers.
Roblox is powered by a global community of over two million developers who produce their own immersive multiplayer experiences each month using Roblox Studio, our intuitive desktop design tool. Any experience imaginable can be created on Roblox.
As of December 31, 2020, the popular gaming platform has 8 million developers offering 20 million experiences (games). And with 30.6 billion hours of engagement since 2008, the platform has facilitated developers to earn $329 million. It is available on multiple devices: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Devices, Xbox One, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.
Read More:
- Even if Apple wins against Epic, it will have to make changes for developers
- Apple’s App Store VP tells judge that it features competitors’ apps ‘all the time’ though Epic has provided evidence that supports the contrary
- Epic and Apple were working on Fortnite Club bundle with Apple Music and Apple TV+
- Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says he would have accepted a preferential App Store deal, if Apple had offered one
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