vestan #REFANTAZIO SWEEP Member Dec 28, 2017 27,459 View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcxnRaZ6slU "There's a war you don't see. The one fought in the shadows. The war beneath the war." Command an elite squad through a gritty and authentic story set during the twilight of the Clone Wars in STAR WARS Zero Company™, a single-player turn-based tactics game developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Step into the shoes of Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads Zero Company - an unconventional outfit of professionals for hire hailing from across the galaxy. Hawks and Zero Company are recruited for an operation that pits them against an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy if left unchecked. To succeed, Hawks will lead a team of uneasy allies who must set aside their differences to overcome nearly impossible odds. STAR WARS Zero Company™ launches on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2026. Click to expand... Click to shrink... View: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2075800/STAR_WARS_Zero_Company/ Interview With Game Director Greg Foertsch and Lucasfilm Games' Executive Producer Orion Kellogg: Click to expand... Click to shrink... https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-zero-company Star Wars Zero Company features a gritty and authentic original story set during the twilight of The Clone Wars that puts players in control of Hawks, a former Republic officer who's in charge of an elite squad of cunning operatives. As an unconventional outfit of professionals for hire hailing from across the galaxy, Zero Company must set aside their differences to take on an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy if left unchecked. Click to expand... Click to shrink... "We're offering a character we haven't seen before, a role we haven't seen before," Kellogg says of the game's protagonist. "I don't think I can point at another character in the Star Wars franchise and say, oh, that's Hawks. And I think that's because of this unique story that we're telling and this unique timeframe digging beneath the surface of the Clone Wars. It gets really complex. It's complicated, and Hawks is, then, also complicated." Click to expand... Click to shrink... While fans have seen larger-than-life Jedi Masters and galactic politicians in The Clone Wars animated series, Zero Company promises a boots on the ground perspective of the conflict that's never been seen before as the story takes players and their crew across the galaxy to places both strange and recognizable. Click to expand... Click to shrink... "This isn't just a Clone Wars game," Kellogg adds. "This is a game in the Clone Wars, but from a new angle. This is really Bit Reactor's vision. It's their Star Wars story and we're here to help them tell it. So you're also going to see influence from the political intrigue of Andor; you're going to see the gritty battles of Rogue One. You're going to see the wit and wisdom of A New Hope. It's a Star Wars game through and through." Click to expand... Click to shrink... "This a Star Wars game where you can really have a found family. You're playing with multiple characters, leveling them up, building their relationships and their bonds. For me, ever since being a 4 year old seeing the original Star Wars in the theaters, it's always been about found family. This is such a perfect combination for me as a developer and as a fan. I can't wait for people to see and experience that." Click to expand... Click to shrink... Kellogg agrees. "I hope players walk away feeling like these characters are part of their Star Wars stories they want to tell," he says. "But I also think that, as a genre that we haven't played in a lot, I can't wait for players to say, 'Wow, I can't believe they did that. I can't believe that we got to go to all these places.' I think that story will then evolve to, 'I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I was able to overcome that challenge.' I think there are going to be lots of surprises with the genre as it interacts with the storytelling." Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Last edited: Today at 4:22 AM Slatsunus Member Nov 2, 2017 3,678 Female Tognath Jedi is cool. Z com looks great  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 I'll take the L on it not being this year but oh well lol   Luigi87 One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 5,358 Definitely gives those modern XCOM vibes. I'm definitely interested. I think this is a good direction for a Star Wars game.  Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 23,627 Roger Roger!   Yukari Member Mar 28, 2018 13,045 Thailand Set During Clone Wars? Can't wait for the Order 66 mission.   BlackheartVinyl Member Jun 15, 2020 7,613 I got a good feeling this is gonna be fuckin sick.   Patitoloco Member Oct 27, 2017 27,571 Looks damn fantastic. I really can't wait for it to come out.   Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 42,169 Melbourne, Australia Yeaaah baby! Looks great  Wrexis Member Nov 4, 2017 28,754 it was important to have that gameplay bit because from the trailer I had no idea what genre this was.   Lifejumper #1 Celtics fan / #7 Serbia fan Member Oct 25, 2017 29,468 Hmghhhhhhhh.. Midnight Suns/ Andor inspirations! Cool quotes from the article: This a Star Wars game where you can really have a found family. You're playing with multiple characters, leveling them up, building their relationships and their bonds. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Additionally, the panelists said, they wanted choices made in the game to be meaningful ones. Hawks' appearance and combat class can be fully customized, as can the operatives the squad recruits. Squadmates' appearances, load-outs, and abilities can be tailored across a wide variety of character archetypes, from astromechs to Jedi. And while in the field, the members of Zero Company who players choose to send on the mission will forge bonds between them to unlock powerful combat synergies that can turn the tide of battle. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Players can choose how to form their Zero Company squad with the option to utilize both characters they crafted themselves as well as new, original Star Wars characters with stories that evolve as they play. During the panel, Contreras introduced Celebration attendees to four of them: Click to expand... Click to shrink... The places players choose to go and the missions they undertake can each have an impact on the story, said Foertsch. For example, Trick and Luco don't seem to get along, as evidenced in the game trailer. If players choose to invest in their partnership by sending them on missions together, they may be able to improve their bond, which could impact their fate in the game. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Last edited: Today at 4:42 AM canary_rhombus Member Mar 5, 2024 100 2026? Damn, I guess I can wait. Really looking forward to this.  Vex Member Oct 25, 2017 25,252 Z COM looking good!!!   Caiusto Member Oct 25, 2017 6,670 This looks really good.   Greywaren Member Jul 16, 2019 12,741 Spain Oh fuck yes, I'm SO in.   GeoGonzo The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 4,663 Madrid, Spain I lost interest in Star Wars things after episode 9, but turn based strategy might be enough to pull me back in… I'll be keeping an eye on this.   2CL4Mars Member Nov 9, 2018 2,394 After midnight suns I'm really into this type of games and Zero Company is no different. Looks cool. oh and give me that rumored Rainbow six turn based game too and a Midnight suns 2 pretty please.  Etrian Darkness Member Oct 29, 2017 4,517 UK If it wasn't clear this is a bunch of ex-Firaxis who worked on XCOM and Midnight Suns.   Lifejumper #1 Celtics fan / #7 Serbia fan Member Oct 25, 2017 29,468 Gordy Haab (Fallen Order/Survivor) is doing the soundtrack too. You can rewatch the panel here at 1:15 - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com   2Blackcats Member Oct 26, 2017 17,378 Hopefully Spring, not Autumn.   Princess Bubblegum I'll be the one who puts you in the ground. Moderator Oct 25, 2017 11,512 A Cavern Shaped Like Home Hell yeah.   redlentil Member Oct 27, 2017 551 Looks like a bigger deal than I was expecting and could fill that XCOM-shaped hole. I'll be watching with interest.   Chirotera Avenger Oct 27, 2017 4,790 Boo 2026. Also would have preferred a Galactic Civil War setting. That said, I'm all in!  Shinrou Member Oct 28, 2017 2,167 Finland 2CL4Mars said: After midnight suns I'm really into this type of games and Zero Company is no different. Looks cool. oh and give me that rumored Rainbow six turn based game too and a Midnight suns 2 pretty please. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Seconding all of this. First time I'm actually excited for a Star Wars game in a while actually.   xyla Member Oct 27, 2017 9,471 Germany Very in! Clone Wars (show) with AmCA made this into my favorite SW era somehow.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 You can completely customise the protagonist and your squad (in addition to the set in stone authored squadmates).   Kard8p3 Member Oct 25, 2017 7,679 Day 1.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 Permadeath and limited saving are available in certain difficulties   Last edited: Today at 5:19 AM IDreamOfHime Member Oct 27, 2017 16,217 I'm not the biggest Star Wars nerd so maybe there is more, but as a casual fan them setting this in the Clone Wars against the separatists makes me worry about enemy variety.   Lifejumper #1 Celtics fan / #7 Serbia fan Member Oct 25, 2017 29,468 IDreamOfHime said: I'm not the biggest Star Wars nerd so maybe there is more, but as a casual fan them setting this in the Clone Wars against the separatists makes me worry about enemy variety. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Its not just droids, there are multiple enemy factions and "there is a new threat emerging". Pirates were also mentioned. Order 66 is also on the timeline.   Bede-x Member Oct 25, 2017 11,788 Looks promising, with the only downer being the Star Wars IP. Wish it was an original IP, instead of yet another mega franchise game.   FakePlasticTree Member Jul 24, 2018 13,530 Looks cool but I wish it was more like XCOM and less story focused like Midnight Suns   maze001 Member Sep 18, 2024 499 Looks like another banger in the making. EA doing right by Star Wars. Loving everything I'm reading about the game.  Lifejumper #1 Celtics fan / #7 Serbia fan Member Oct 25, 2017 29,468 FakePlasticTree said: Looks cool but I wish it was more like XCOM Click to expand... Click to shrink... In what way: cuz its sounding a lot like x com - Permadeath (for certain difficulties) - Customizable characters. - Not one playthrough is the same - Build up your bond with squadmates, unlock new abilities.  FakePlasticTree Member Jul 24, 2018 13,530 Lifejumper said: In what way: cuz its sounding a lot like x com - Permadeath - Customizable characters. - Not one playthrough is the same Click to expand... Click to shrink... Base management, making my own soldiers instead of pre established characters, emergent storytelling of XCOM 2, being on constant threat by the enemy as they attack your bases and if you lose it isn't a game over. Like it is clearly going for a more story focused game ala Midnight Suns. Didn't know there is perma deat, that is nice I guess.   Lifejumper #1 Celtics fan / #7 Serbia fan Member Oct 25, 2017 29,468 FakePlasticTree said: Base management, making my own soldiers instead of pre established characters like it is clearly going for a more story focused game ala Midnight Suns. Didn't know there is perm deat, that is nice I guess. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You can do these things according to the devs (check out the reveal panel if you can). You have "authored characters" and "non authored characters" you can fully customize (species, class, etc.).   MarcelloF "This guy are sick" Member Dec 9, 2020 9,472 Lifejumper said: In what way: cuz its sounding a lot like x com - Permadeath (for certain difficulties) - Customizable characters. - Not one playthrough is the same - Build up your bond with squadmates, unlock new abilities. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I hope you can switch permadeath off separate from difficulty like in Fire Emblem. And I'd like to know if the building relationships is just doing missions together or I can have conversations with them in the base like in Midnight Suns.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 MarcelloF said: I hope you can switch permadeath off separate from difficulty like in Fire Emblem. And I'd like to know if the building relationships is just doing missions together or I can have conversations with them in the base like in Midnight Suns. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They said in the panel it's both (or they said you build bonds through missions and you can also talk to them in the Den, so presumably conversations will open up as you play with them and talk to them more).   Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 23,627 Going to fill my squad with nothing but R2 units.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 FakePlasticTree said: Looks cool but I wish it was more like XCOM and less story focused like Midnight Suns Click to expand... Click to shrink... Their whole pitch for the game (and as a studio) is that you don't have to sacrifice depth for cinematic presentation and storytelling. You can do both, and that is their goal with ZCOM. Kadzork said: Going to fill my squad with nothing but R2 units. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They showed that on the panel lol   Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 23,627 Mr Evil 37 said: They showed that on the panel lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... Amazing 😆   Mr.Deadshot Member Oct 27, 2017 22,811 FakePlasticTree said: Looks cool but I wish it was more like XCOM and less story focused like Midnight Suns Click to expand... Click to shrink... I am the opposite. Story and cutscenes will be a reason to play a genre I am otherwise not that interested in.   FakePlasticTree Member Jul 24, 2018 13,530 Lifejumper said: You can do these things according to the devs (check out the reveal panel if you can). You have "authored characters" and "non authored characters" you can fully customize (species, class, etc.). Click to expand... Click to shrink... Alright I read the PC Gamer article and that does sound neat, where can I find info on the base management?   Paquete_PT Avenger Oct 27, 2017 6,714 Looks really cool! The visuals and UI look very clean!   Blade30 Member Oct 26, 2017 5,838 Yeah this looks cool.   Kadzork Has got mad skills!! Member Oct 27, 2017 23,627 This has shot up my most wanted list. 2026 hurts but happy to wait.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 26,384 FakePlasticTree said: Alright I read the PC Gamer article and that does sound neat, where can I find info on the base management? Click to expand... Click to shrink... What sort of management do you mean? Because on the panel they talked about the Den which is your home base and where you will select missions, customise your squad and talk to characters.   FakePlasticTree Member Jul 24, 2018 13,530 Mr.Deadshot said: I am the opposite. Story and cutscenes will be a reason to play a genre I am otherwise not that interested in. Click to expand... Click to shrink... XCOM's storytelling is neat because it is emergent and happens as something part of the gameplay, which is what I like about video games. I generally always find cutscene heavy games to be not that interesting (obviously there are some I like) Games in genres I usually dislike tend to always have a neat hook, like an art style or cool mechanics like Crusader Kings 3.   cowbanana Member Feb 2, 2018 16,184 a Socialist Utopia This looks pretty good. I'm in if it delivers.   Potterson Member Oct 28, 2017 7,154 edit: nvm, i was misinformed  

As promised to fans earlier this week, the upcoming turn-based tactics game STAR WARS Zero Company was revealed today during the Star Wars Celebration Japan event. This is the game that Bit Reactor has been working on alongside Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games. It was announced alongside Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in early 2022. Bit Reactor was founded by former XCOM veterans led by Greg Foerstch, so it's no surprise that the game follows that design inspiration. Foerstch, CEO and Creative Director of the Maryland-based developer, said in a statement: Our vision for STAR WARS Zero Company is grounded in gameplay design pillars that weave in the immersive Star Wars galaxy with engaging turn-based tactics gameplay. It’s our aim to deliver a game with an original Star Wars story from the Clone Wars era that has meaningful outcomes from player choices, and deep turn-based tactical combat with an approachable and cinematic presentation. Douglas Reilly, GM & VP at Lucasfilm Games, added: At Lucasfilm Games, we’re huge tactics fans and we have wanted to make a game like this for a long time. The best tactics games are all about meaningful choices, and we’re confident we have chosen the right squad in Bit Reactor to deliver a compelling and innovative title that is authentic to Star Wars. In this game, players will step into the shoes of Hawks, a former Republic officer who must lead an elite squad of cunning operatives through a gritty and authentic story set in the twilight of the Clone Wars. An unconventional team of hired guns from across the galaxy, the Zero Company must put aside their differences to overcome nearly impossible odds and take on an emerging threat that might consume the galaxy if left unchecked. The campaign of STAR WARS Zero Company will task players with performing tactical operations and investigations across the galaxy. Between missions, they will establish a base of operations and gather intelligence through a network of informants to stay one step ahead of their enemies. Just as you'd expect in an XCOM-like title, there will be the freedom to create and customize your own squad of recruited operatives while meeting a cast of newly created Star Wars characters. The main character's appearance and combat class can be fully customized, while recruited operatives can be personalized in appearance, load-outs, and abilities from a range of original Star Wars character classes and species, including Clone Troopers, Astromechs, and even a Jedi. In the field, the team will form bonds with each other to unlock powerful combat synergies that can turn the tide of battle. The developers promise high-stakes encounters that will require proper strategy to be overcome. STAR WARS Zero Company is set to launch sometime in 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. Wishlisting is already available on Steam.

عندما بدأت شركة Nothing بالتشويق لهاتفها الذكي الجديد هذا العام، ظنّ الكثيرون أنها تستعد للإعلان عن هاتفها الرائد المنتظر Nothing Phone (3). لكن المفاجأة كانت في إطلاق الهاتفين المتوسطين Nothing Phone (3a) و Nothing Phone (3a) Pro، المتاح حاليًا على أمازون بسعر 399 دولارًا.ومؤخرًا، كشف مؤسس الشركة ومديرها التنفيذي كارل باي عن موعد إطلاق Nothing Phone (3) خلال جلسة “اسألني أي شيء” التي نظمها عبر منصة X.وردًا على سؤال أحد المتابعين حول موعد توفر الهاتف، أكد باي أن الإعلان سيتم في الربع الثالث من هذا العام، ما يعني أن الهاتف سيظهر رسميًا في الفترة بين يوليو وسبتمبر، أي خلال الأشهر الخمسة المقبلة كحد أقصى إذا تم الإعلان عنه في نهاية الربع.ورغم أن الشركة ما زالت تتحفظ على التفاصيل الدقيقة الخاصة بالهاتف، فإنها لم تتردد في التلميح إليه بين الحين والآخر. ففي فيديو استعرض تصميم سلسلة Phone (3a)، ظهرت لمحة مشوشة للهاتف المنتظر Phone (3)، مما زاد من حماسة المتابعين.من المتوقع أن يأتي Nothing Phone (3) مزودًا بشريحة معالجة رائدة، وشاشة AMOLED بمعدل تحديث عالٍ، بالإضافة إلى ثلاث كاميرات على الأقل، من ضمنها عدسة تقريب (Telephoto)، مع تحسينات في مقاومة الماء والغبار مقارنة بهاتف Nothing Phone (2).وفي الوقت الذي نترقّب فيه إطلاق Phone (3)، تستعد Nothing للكشف عن هاتف جديد نهاية هذا الشهر ينتمي للفئة الموجهة للمستخدمين الباحثين عن خيارات اقتصادية. هذا الهاتف هو CMF Phone 2 Pro، وهو الجيل الثاني من هاتف CMF Phone 1 المعروف بتصميمه القابل للتخصيص.المصدر

العنوان: أنشئ وكيلك الذكي على Make.com في 20 دقيقة فقط – شي خرافي 💥

Star Wars video games have primarily focused on action for several years now, but Star Wars: Zero Company breaks from that trend by throwing players into the battlefields of a single-player tactics game. The genre remains fairly popular thanks to games like XCOM, Gears Tactics, and Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters, but there's still a perceived barrier to entry in a genre that doesn't hesitate to throw a lot of gameplay mechanics at its audience.Developer Bit Reactor is looking to avoid this issue with Zero Company, as the studio is aiming to create a Star Wars adventure that is both approachable and appealing to hardcore fans of the genre. Speaking to GameSpot, Bit Reactor creative director Greg Foertsch explained how Zero Company will organically teach players its systems as they delve deeper into the murky underbelly of the Clone Wars."I think that when you look at these games--in general--a lot of times the mechanics can overwhelm and you tack the story on later. By using the story to guide us, it doesn't shut down doors, it open doors. "And it's not just about what we want people to play, but also what we want them to feel. And so through camera work, presentation, and story, I think we're able to hit a lot of notes and really make this game appeal in a different way and kind of innovate in a way that the other games in the space haven't. I think we're really focused on trying to like marry those two aspects of it, the immersion and the presentation level with the mechanics."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Refusal of the Call brings forth Destiny 2’s first Strand Glaive thanks to Episode: Heresy, meaning that players will be able to further expand their arsenal and enjoy the thrills of Suspend, Unravel, and Sever, all within the powerful blade of a melee weapon meant for culling Hive and other enemies of the Light.

Hear me out: LinkedIn actually has fun games on it. I’m not joking. There are games buried underneath all the posts from CEOs disrupting industries through the power of AI, and they’re actually kind of good. My favorite is Zip, a game about filling up a grid with a continuous line. It’s a daily puzzle, like Wordle, where each day you have to fill a grid by connecting a series of numbers in order. You can’t leave any gaps, so you need to plan out how many detours you need to make to cover the whole thing. It honestly is more complicated to describe than to actually play it, but trust me, it’s really satisfying. My second favorite is Queens because it’s like Sudoku without the numbers. For a number (and math) hater like me, it’s perfect. It’s played on a five-by-five grid with colored squares, and the goal is to fill it with queens that don’t share the same columns, rows, or colors. It goes pretty fast as you mark off all the squares that can’t be a queen with Xs. Playing it gives me the same rush as finishing a particularly long Sudoku puzzle in a fraction of the time. And the best part is that it’s designed so you don’t have to make any guesses. Word game lovers will probably like Pinpoint and Crossclimb. Pinpoint gives you a series of words and you have to guess what category they all fit in. For example: If it gives you “banana” and “apple”, the answer will probably be “fruit”. Crossclimb is a little harder. You have to type in words based on hints and then stack them so that each word is only off by one letter (e.g. pace and pack). After you’ve done that successfully, the last two words on the top and bottom open up. Guessing these is a little easier because you know they have to be one letter off of what’s already there. The last game, Tango, is the most complicated one of the bunch. It’s essentially about following a bunch of rules to deduce where to place sun and moon icons. I imagine the kind of people who love Sudoku puzzles that start out nearly empty will like making guesses and double-checking everything until it’s solved. Sadly, I am not that person. I never expected to willingly spend an hour on LinkedIn every day, but here I am. Does it give me the urge to start using it as a real social media site to connect with like-minded people? Absolutely not. I will continue to play my silly little games and then peace out. But you should know you’re missing out on the one good thing about LinkedIn if you’re not already playing these.

How a platform claiming to empower kids actually extracts billions from them.Roblox is frenetic, and enticing, and oftne counfounding to young designers. Who really benefits from the leading game-experience creation platform?Recently, I found myself sitting across from an earnest 11-year-old who was excitedly telling me about the game he was building in Roblox. His eyes lit up when he mentioned that one day, his creation might make him “tons of money, just like those other Roblox developers.”I smiled and nodded, but inside I felt a twinge of discomfort. As a game designer who’s spent over a decade studying how games and economies interact, I knew something this child didn’t: the financial deck is stacked heavily against him.Of course, someone would be making “a ton of money” from his activity on the platform (and other kids like him) but that someone would be Roblox itself.Source: Roblox via PR NewsireThis conversation wasn’t new to me. Over the years, I’ve heard similar dreams from countless children, their parents, and even educators who’ve bought into Roblox’s carefully crafted narrative about empowering young creators. It’s a powerful story: kids learning coding, developing entrepreneurial skills, and potentially earning real money from their creations. What’s not to love?But there’s a gulf between Roblox’s marketing claims and its economic reality that’s rarely discussed.Today, I want to pull back the curtain on how Roblox’s economy actually works, who really profits from it, and why its “creator empowerment” narrative deserves serious scrutiny.The creator-empowerment narrativeRoblox has masterfully positioned itself not primarily as a gaming platform but as an educational one. (PR Newswire)They emphasize that their platform “sparks kids’ creativity, coding, and critical thinking abilities” that can grow into “lifelong skills” Idtech. This framing has been remarkably effective in getting parents, schools, and even mainstream media to see Roblox as more than just another video game.Roblox sits at the nexus of many gaming value-ads. Source: HackernoonThe company’s marketing heavily promotes entrepreneurship and financial opportunity, “a fun, rewarding experience and an opportunity to learn life skills such as creative thinking and entrepreneurship.” (Roblox) They highlight that “for older children and young adults, Roblox provides the opportunity to earn Robux through their creations” by charging other users to play their games (moonshotjr). The Roblox FAQ for parents states, “By building coding and game development skills, kids can earn some serious cash online from home with Roblox.” Success stories of young developers who’ve supposedly earned enough to “purchase houses, cars, open their own gaming studios and pay their way through college” are frequently mentioned in their promotional materials (MIT).Educational institutions have eagerly embraced this narrative. Roblox Education, for instance, is “dedicated to helping educators harness the power of Roblox to create immersive learning experiences that inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking” (Youngentrepreneurinstitute). Roblox itself claims to offer “free STEAM based lesson plans and resources for educators” to help educational programs “get up and running faster, with higher student success rates” (MIT).This positioning has been remarkably successful. When Roblox made its debut in China, “the world’s biggest video game market, the platform was promoted primarily for its educational benefits” (Fast Company). In the U.S., parents and teachers who might otherwise restrict “screen time” often make exceptions for Roblox because they’ve bought into the idea that it’s educational and potentially profitable for their children.But how well does this narrative hold up to scrutiny?The reality: a multi-layered value extraction systemBeneath Roblox’s shiny educational veneer lies a sophisticated economic system designed to extract maximum value while sharing minimal returns with the vast majority of creators. This system employs multiple layers of obfuscation and economic barriers that most young creators (and their parents) don’t fully understand.Currency obfuscation: the Robux shell gameAt the heart of Roblox’s economy is Robux, its virtual currency. Like casino chips, Robux creates psychological distance between real money and virtual spending, making transactions feel less consequential. But unlike casino chips, Robux employs wildly different exchange rates depending on whether you’re buying or selling.When players purchase Robux, they pay approximately $0.0125 per Robux (80 Robux for $1) at standard rates (G2A News). But when developers want to cash out through the Developer Exchange (DevEx) program, they receive only $0.0035 per Robux according to the current exchange rate (Roblox Support).This disparity means there’s a 72% loss in value when converting from purchasing to cashing out. If a player spends $100 on Robux to purchase something from a creator, that creator can only exchange those earnings for about $28 in real money — and that’s before considering all the other fees and requirements.Platform fees: the hidden taxBeyond the exchange rate disparity, Roblox takes a substantial cut from every transaction on its platform. Since 2012, the marketplace fee for most transactions has been around 30% (Roblox Wiki). This means that of the Robux a creator earns from a sale, 30% is immediately taken by Roblox.When combined with the exchange rate disparity, the effective revenue share becomes even more skewed. If a player spends $100 worth of Robux on a creator’s item, after the 30% marketplace fee and the DevEx conversion rate, the creator ends up with less than $20 in real money… an effective commission rate of over 80%.Roblox pays out about 25% of player spending to platform developers after all fees and cuts — often less.Creation barriers: pay-to-createUnlike platforms that allow free content creation, Roblox charges creators just to publish their work. When uploading accessories, clothing, bodies, and heads, creators must pay a fee of 750 Robux per submission (Roblox) — that’s about $9.40 in real money at purchase rates.These fees are non-refundable if the item is rejected through moderation, creating another risk for creators. Additionally, some items require a “publishing advance” fee (Roblox), further increasing the upfront investment needed before earning a single Robux.Exclusive exit controls: the DevEx program’s restrictionsThe Developer Exchange program, which allows creators to convert Robux to real money, is surrounded by restrictive requirements that keep many creators from ever cashing out:You must be at least 13 years old (Roblox Support) (ironic for a platform marketed heavily to children).You must have earned at least 30,000 Robux (Roblox Support) (equivalent to about $375 in player purchases after marketplace fees).You must have a verified email address and be in “good standing” within the community (Roblox Support).Only Robux earned from creating and selling content qualifies (Roblox Wiki). Robux obtained from trading or selling items created by others doesn’t count.These restrictions ensure that many young creators never reach the threshold to convert their earnings to real money, keeping value trapped in Roblox’s ecosystem.Popular pet simulator converts Robux to “gems” at mind-boggling conversion ratesSecondary currency layers: games within gamesMany popular Roblox experiences compound these issues by implementing their own in-game currencies. Players might spend Robux to purchase a game’s custom currency, adding yet another layer of conversion between real money and in-game value. This creates further psychological distance and makes it even more difficult to track the true cost of transactions.Who really benefits?With all these economic mechanisms in place, it’s worth asking: who’s actually making money on Roblox?Roblox requires paid subscriptions to rival YouTube’s standard revenue sharing. (Roblox)The disparity of creator earningsThe statistics tell a stark story. As of December 2023, only nine developers or creators on Roblox were rewarded over 10 million U.S. dollars, while approximately five million Roblox developers or creators were not rewarded at all (Statista).In other words, the top 0.00018% of creators earned over $10 million each, while the vast majority earned nothing. Even among those who did earn something, only about 16,500 developers were registered in the Developer Exchange Program out of over five million developers and creators who earned Robux (Statista). That means only about 0.33% of those who earned any Robux were able to convert it to real currency.The platform vs. the creatorsWhile Roblox boasts about payouts to developers, the numbers reveal a dramatic imbalance. In 2023, developers and creators in the Developer Exchange Program earned $740 million (Statista). This sounds impressive until you compare it to Roblox’s own revenue.As of March 2024, app store fees accounted for 23% of each dollar spent on Roblox, with developers receiving approximately 29 cents per dollar spent (Statista). This means that Roblox and app stores together take about 71% of all spending on the platform.In 2022, Roblox generated $2.9 billion from in-game Robux purchases, while developers earned $620 million in the same year (Playtoday). That means Roblox kept approximately 79% of the revenue, with only 21% making its way to creators.Roblox competitor Core Games offers a 50/50 split in creator revenue (Source: Core Blog)The demographics of successIt’s also worth noting who the successful developers typically are. Despite Roblox’s marketing emphasis on child creators, the most profitable games are increasingly developed by professional studios rather than individual kids.These studios often employ teams of adult developers, artists, and marketers, hardly the young creators portrayed in Roblox’s promotional materials. The economics of the platform have matured to favor professional operations, leaving child creators further behind.The psychological impactThe gap between Roblox’s marketing promises and economic reality isn’t just a financial issue; it has psychological implications for young users.The cultivation of spending habitsRoblox’s economic design encourages spending while making earning difficult. Children learn that purchasing virtual items is easy and instantaneous, while the path to earning real money is filled with obstacles. This imbalance normalizes consumption over creation, despite the platform’s creative marketing.The exploitation of social pressureMany Roblox games leverage social dynamics to drive spending. Limited-time items, exclusive accessories, and status symbols within games create social pressure to spend. Children, who are particularly susceptible to peer influence, often feel compelled to buy Robux to keep up with friends or fit in with the community. I’ve written about these dark patterns before extensively.The devaluation of creative workPerhaps most troubling is how Roblox’s economic structure devalues creative labor. When children spend countless hours creating games that generate substantial engagement but minimal returns, they’re learning that creative work isn’t fairly compensated. This stands in stark contrast to the entrepreneurial values the platform claims to promote.What ethical creator platforms would look likeRoblox isn’t inherently bad — it offers genuine creative opportunities and has inspired many children to learn coding and design. The issue lies in the disparity between its marketing claims and economic reality.An ethical platform focused on empowering young creators might include:Transparent Economics: Clear, easy-to-understand information about exchange rates, fees, and realistic earning expectations. As Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology argues, ethical design requires systems that align with users’ best interests rather than exploiting psychological vulnerabilities for profit. Harris has spent years advocating for technology that respects human attention and agency Humanetech, principles that should extend to economic models targeting children.Fair Revenue Sharing: A higher percentage of revenue going to creators, particularly young ones who may not have alternative income sources. Shoshana Zuboff’s work on surveillance capitalism provides important context here, as she describes how tech platforms often engage in “unilateral claiming of private human experience as free raw material” Harvard Gazette that primarily benefits the platform rather than users. Child creators deserve better protection from such extraction.Reduced Barriers to Entry: Lower or no fees for initial content creation, with costs recouped from successful content instead. Professor Sonia Livingstone’s research on children’s digital rights suggests platforms should be designed with children’s developmental needs and rights at the center. As she notes, “almost every aspect of children’s lives has an online dimension” Media@LSE, meaning that barriers to participation can have real consequences for young people’s development and agency.Accessible Cash-Out Options: Lower thresholds for converting virtual currency to real money, making earnings accessible to more creators. Dr. Katie Davis, who directs the Digital Youth Lab at the University of Washington, has researched what she calls “design abuse” in technology platforms aimed at children Tilt Parenting, highlighting how economic systems can be designed to better support youth development rather than exploit it.Age-Appropriate Economic Education: Tools and resources that help young users understand the platform’s economy without exploitation. This aligns with what Livingstone and Davis both advocate for: digital environments that empower children with knowledge rather than obscuring how systems work to manipulate them.Moving forwardParents and educators need to approach Roblox with clearer eyes. The platform can indeed be educational and creative, but its economic promises deserve skepticism. Rather than accepting marketing claims at face value, adults should help children understand the platform’s true economics and set realistic expectations.For Roblox itself, there’s an opportunity to align its economic reality with its marketing claims. A more equitable revenue share, lower barriers to monetization, and more transparent economics would go a long way toward making the platform’s “creator empowerment” narrative more than just a slogan.As for me, the next time a child tells me about their dreams of Roblox riches, I’ll still smile encouragingly. But I’ll also gently help them understand the platform’s real economics and perhaps suggest additional pathways to turn their budding game design skills into future opportunities. After all, the creative spark Roblox ignites in children is real and valuable, even if the platform’s economic promises often aren’t.The bottom lineRoblox has built a multi-billion-dollar business largely on the creative labor of children, while marketing itself as an educational platform that empowers young creators. The reality is a sophisticated economic system designed to extract maximum value while returning minimal profits to most creators.If Roblox wants to claim it’s empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs, its economic model should actually do that. Until then, we should approach their educational and financial claims with the skepticism they deserve.Sam Liberty is a gamification expert, applied game designer, and consultant. His clients include The World Bank, Click Therapeutics, and DARPA. He teaches game design at Northeastern University. He is the former Lead Game Designer at Sidekick Health.The Roblox’s creator illusion was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.The LG C3 65-inch Evo OLED TV, featured in Lifehacker's Best Budget OLED TVs to Buy in 2025, is now available for $1,196.99, down from $1,499.99—its lowest price ever on Amazon, according to price trackers. LG C3 Series 65-Inch Class OLED TV $1,196.99 at Amazon $1,499.99 Save $303.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,196.99 at Amazon $1,499.99 Save $303.00 Its OLED panel provides perfect black levels, an infinite contrast ratio, and near-flawless color accuracy. Whites and SDR colors are especially precise, with only minor deviations in reds and greens in HDR content. Plus, it supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, so if you stream a lot in 4K, you’ll see those details shine. That said, the lack of an ATSC 3.0 tuner might be a drawback if you rely on over-the-air 4K broadcasts.You can place the C3 Evo on its (included) metal stand or mount it on a wall for a cleaner look. Its ports—four HDMI 2.1 (all 4K120, with one eARC), three USBs, Ethernet, and more—are easy to reach on the left. LG’s WebOS runs its smart TV features and covers nearly all major streaming platforms (except Crunchyroll, as highlighted in this PCMag review). However, the WebOS' smart home hub features lean heavily toward LG ThinQ appliances, which might limit compatibility with your setup if your smart devices aren’t LG-branded or are from other non-compatible brands.The Magic Remote included with the LG C3 Evo has dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Alexa, and other popular apps, making it easy to jump straight to your favorites. You’ll also find Apple AirPlay for easy streaming from your iOS devices and Alexa integration for hands-free voice commands. When it comes to gaming, with the Game Optimizer mode enabled and input lag reduction set to Boost, the TV achieves an impressively low input lag of under a millisecond. Add to that a 120Hz refresh rate, with variable refresh rate (VRR) support, plus AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility (though neither is formally certified), and you’ve got yourself a gaming powerhouse.If you’re debating alternatives, the Samsung S90C ($997.99) offers similar OLED quality and comes with the missing ATSC 3.0 tuner.

Kia's first all-electric sedan, the 2026 EV4, is making its official debut in the US at the New York International Auto Show, which runs from April 18 to April 27. The automaker first announced the vehicle in Spain back in February, with the promise that it will release the model in the USA, as well. It's built on top of the company's 400V Electric Global Modular Platform, which serves as the basis for all of Kia's electric vehicles. In the US, the EV4 will come with a built-in North American Charging Standard (NACS) port for compatibility with Tesla charging stations. Those in the New York area can check out the vehicle for themselves, as the show is open to the public starting today (April 18).  The Kia EV4 has two battery options: A standard 58.3 kWh battery for the Light model and a long-range 81.4 kWh battery for the Wind and GT-Line models. Kia says its Light and Wind models have an estimated range of 235 miles and 330 miles, respectively. However, they're manufacturer estimates and not official EPA numbers yet.  You can charge the car from 10 to 80 percent within just 28 minutes for the Light battery and 31 minutes for the long-range battery. No matter what model you choose, the vehicle comes with a front-mounted 150 kW motor and Kia's Advanced Driver Assistance features. Unfortunately, the automaker didn't reveal how much it would cost you to get one, possibly because it has yet to attach an official price tag to the EV4 due to the tariffs the US government is imposing on cars and car parts made outside the country.  In addition to the EV4, Kia is also showcasing the EV9 Nightfall Edition at the Auto Show. The Nightfall edition of the company's three-row electric SUV is covered in a Gloss Black finish, including its 20-inch wheels, and has a dark Kia emblem. Even its interior is in black. The Nightfall EV9 will be manufactured at Kia’s West Point, Georgia assembly plant and is expected to be available in the US in the second quarter of 2025. Update, April 18 2025, 11:45PM ET: This story has been updated to add information to the intro on the New York Auto Show's dates and location.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-kia-ev4-makes-its-us-debut-at-the-2025-new-york-auto-show-140036440.html?src=rss