SXSWORLD

SXSW.COM | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | SXS W O R L D 2 7 Tami Bhaumik Tami Bhaumik "I see the future of social media being 3D immersive worlds and experiences that allow people to hang out, share experiences together, and learn things together." Starting as a physics engine in 2006, Roblox is now a massive online world- building game, letting its players devise mini-games as diverse as organizing a prison break to running a virtual pizza shop. Shared in-game environments, from cityscapes to high school halls, can be used as giant 3D chat rooms. The game's fairly rudimentary graphics and scripting make it easier for players to learn to code their own virtual worlds, and then find and invite friends to join them there. "A lot of [players] are actually getting on and playing with their real-world friends," Bhaumik said. "That's where they're hanging out nowadays. I think the days of, 'Hey, let's hang out at the park,' are over. The park is now Roblox." Beyond socializing, video games have also become places for sharing content. Minecraft players have been trading exquisitely crafted buildings, cities and whole worlds with each other for years. Dreams, a game developed by Media Molecule and published by Sony, gives players a robust but user-friendly 3D toolkit that essentially lets them create their own video games for the PS4. Users have created games, environ- ments, and even animated videos, sometimes surreal, with fluidity and graphical beauty worthy of Pixar. When logged out of their game of choice, players can watch bona fide video game celebrities on Twitch and YouTube, and then upload videos of their own exploits. In addition, the Discord app lets players communicate with VoIP (voice over IP) while gaming, and also enables them to connect with other players to share videos, images, and gaming memes. Being part of a game's fanbase on these media makes the language of a whole subculture legible, clueing users in to references and lingo while deepening the fans' connection to each other. Bhaumik predicts that these gaming communities represent the future of social media, in which shared experi- ences are the norm. "I can't predict what's going to happen with Facebook, but I do know that from Roblox's perspective, I see our future being very bright," she said. "I see the future of social media being 3D immersive worlds and experiences that allow people to hang out, share experiences together, and learn things together." Tami Bhaumik will be part of the Game Industry Track session: "Digital Play Is Winning – Can Screen Time Be Good?" at SXSW 2020. The SXSW Gaming Expo will take place at the Palmer Events Center from March 19-21. See schedule.sxsw.com for more information.

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