Robloxis a massive video games platform. A free-to-play suite of experiences, players are greeted to thousands of interactive games on a daily basis. The platform’s studio is also available for any developer to program a video game, release a video game, and monetize from the experience. The platform is designed around interconnectivity, fun gameplay, educational purposes, and more.
Serving as a safe social hub for children to interact throughout the 2020 lockdown and beyond,Robloxhas reached the mainstream status ofPokemonandFortnite. The company reached anall-time high of 202 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) in April 2021,wentpublic on the U.S. stock marketin March 2021, and continues to develop healthy partnerships with pop. culture brands likeHasbro.
Related:Roblox Monopoly is available for Preorder now!
So who is the owner behind one of the largest video games in the world? There are two names to associate with the creation ofRoblox.
David Baszucki & Erik Cassel
David Baszucki is the CEO ofRobloxand co-founder alongside Erik Cassel. ManyRobloxplayers might recognize Baszucki as Builderman, hisRobloxpersona and one of the first users to greet new players on the platform. Baszucki is an entrepreneur, engineer, and an inventor who always seemed to have education and social connection in mind.
The seeds forRobloxwere planted way back in the late 1980s when Baszucki and his brother created Interactive Physics, an award-winning simulation designed for education. Not long after the success of Interactive Physics, Baszucki launched Knowledge Revolution, a design software. Knowledge Revolution was eventually acquired by MSC Software, a simulation software company, in 1988. Baszucki briefly served as vice president and general manager from 2000 to 2002.
Baszucki began developingRobloxwith Erik Cassel in 2004. The pair met after Cassel read about Interactive Physics in MacUser magazine. Fresh out of Cornell University, Cassel reached out to Baszucki expressing interest in the company and later served as Interactive Physics’s VP of Engineering. The pair developedRobloxtogether, the original prototype calledDynaBlocks. Later the website would officially launch in 2006, growing into the global phenomenon it is today.
Cassel unfortunately passed away in 2013 from cancer complications. In February 2013, a memorial was held inside ofRobloxwhere hundreds of users paid tribute to the creator. In aRobloxblog postcommemorating Cassel’s life, Baszucki said:
“His [Cassel’s] style was completely open and honest, and he always made decisions based on what was best for the team. Erik was referred to as “WYSIWYG” (what you see is what you get) by a famous VC. He was also extremely nice to everyone he met, even people he didn’t quite get along with. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone who ever met Erik who didn’t think of him as warm, kind and welcoming.”
Baszucki continues to lead theRobloxcompany forward in bold, new directions and the future ofRobloxremains exciting.
For more onRoblox,be sure to check back with Pro Game Guides.
