A dedicated group of Robloxians will soon host a funeral for the sandbox game’s iconic ‘oof’ sound in the metaverse. The OOF Funeral will kick off at 12pm PDT / 3pm EDT/ 8pm BST / 9pm CEST July 28 and will remain on Roblox permanently as a way to pay homage to the famous audio effect.
The day after Roblox announced it was offing the ‘oof,’ the RBXNews Twitter account tweeted to ask its followers if they would be interested in attending a funeral for the sound. When that tweet garnered more than 350 responses and 1,000 likes, the account later announced it would host the event.
“We’ve decided to do this to give the people of Roblox a chance to commemorate the loss of a sound that has been an integral part of Roblox since the beginning, in a fun and positive way,” a representative for RBXNews told PCGamesN via direct message. “As well as being a commemorative space, the place will give players the opportunity to take group pictures with others and will also allow players to learn about the history of the sound through an interactive character.”
Roblox unexpectedly pulled the sound from its platform July 26, replacing it with an alternative audio effect. Many Robloxians took to social media with the #SaveTheOOF hashtag to express their disappointment about the loss of the sound and dissatisfaction with its replacement. Some even asked Roblox to consider buying the ‘oof’ outright to permanently reinstate the sound free of licensing issues.
As a metaverse platform, it feels only fitting for such a funeral to occur within Roblox. Roblox is undergoing a cultural shift as it forges into the future. What it once called ‘games,’ the platform now refers to as ‘experiences,’ a term that more broadly encompasses virtual events such as concerts and, of course, funerals.
While a metaverse funeral for a sound effect may seem like a surreal pop culture undertaking, the sound’s storied history and status as a global meme render it a particularly notable piece of internet history. References to the sound appear all over social media, YouTube videos and even as song parodies.
Although the ‘oof’ may be gone, there are still plenty of other things to enjoy in Roblox. Check out some of Roblox’s newest tunes with our July music codes, or snag some new avatar gear with our July promo codes.