Typically, video games aren’t the place you often look to for “social justice” in any meaningful way. In fact, if you look at even just the last five years of history, you’ll think about how a lot of INJUSTICE has happened in the video game industry. We’ve had companies that have treated their employees poorly, heads of companies getting sued but then walking away and still getting billions without truly paying for their crimes, and, of course, all the layoffs that happen because of the terrible decisions of those at the top. So, what could Roblox, of all games, do to help push the notion that video games are a true social justice tool?
Simple, the community took the narrative into their own hands and staged protests within the game. As noted in videos posted on Reddit, many players came together to protest the controversial and pretty much illegal actions of the United States law enforcement group known as ICE. These are the people who have been doing all sorts of illegal and dirty tactics to try and apprehend people that they claim are “illegal immigrants.” Their “spree” has caused a literal wave of terror that has come over many parts of the United States. As such, many people in the real world have not only been fighting back against ICE but also protesting them and the current United States President, Donald Trump, who has not only been supporting ICE through this period but also basically asking them to “do more” and to “show no mercy.”
You might recall that during the past weekend, a massive wave of protests erupted all over the United States, protesting Donald Trump and his authoritarian tactics. This protest in Roblox is just an extension of that.
The gamers were even going one step further at points by staging fake ICE raids to highlight the terror and fear that many were feeling in the United States.
Now, if we were to look at this under a microscope, you could argue that this wouldn’t have as much of an impact as a full-on real-life protest that has tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people. However, we’re talking about it here on our website, and we’re not alone in covering this. People are learning that these gamers came together to make their voices heard, and they ARE being heard, which is the point of a protest.
So, in the end, there was some good that came of this, and this might not be the last time we see such things in the title.
