Warning: Contains minor spoilers for Season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows.
An eyebrow-raising What We Do in the Shadows Roblox reference proves that the platform is striving to move away from the public perception that it’s only for kids.
What We Do in the Shadows, a vampire-themed comedy from Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) based on the film from Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), features a comedic look at the lives of three traditional vampires and a so-called “energy vampire.” Energy vampires may not look like traditional vampires, but they survive and thrive by sucking the life out of those around them with their bland personalities.
In the scene that references Roblox, a character named Baby Colin (who bursts out of the energy vampire Colin Robertson’s dead body and is also a probable energy vampire) is playing on a mobile phone in the backseat of a car when the driver asks him what he’s playing.
As the other characters groan, Baby Colin replies that he’s playing Welcome to Bloxburg, which is on Roblox. He then proceeds to mention that characters can build houses and then starts listing all the occupations that a person can assume in Welcome to Bloxburg, including a pizza maker, a woodcutter, or an insurance adjuster. The scene ends here with the implication that Baby Colin hasn’t finished talking.
Pretty sure this is the first time in history Roblox has ever been mentioned on a popular TV Show.
from @theshadowsfx pic.twitter.com/tZ2XVhSD1f
— KreekCraft (@KreekCraft) August 31, 2022
A Twitter user named Ruben Ruiz, whose LinkedIn profile lists him as a social media manager at Roblox, later tweeted that they’d had the opportunity to read the scene and approve the script. The official Roblox account also tweeted the reference, shouting out the creator of Welcome to Bloxburg, Coeptus, to thank him for “creating the experience of choice for growing young energy vampires.
This isn’t the first time a popular television show has mentioned Roblox. On Keeping Up with the Kardashians, an allegedly unscripted scene features one of Kim Kardashian’s children discovering inappropriate content on the platform. However, this may be the first time a reference to Roblox has appeared on a mainstream adult-oriented television program with the company’s explicit approval.
However, what’s even more notable about this scene is that, upon hearing the driver’s question, one of the passengers vocalises his displeasure by asking, “Why the f**k did you do that?” Many have pointed out, including YouTube personality KreekCraft, that this may be the first time Roblox has publicly associated the company with mature language.
The company’s willingness to engage with content that uses adult language is another sign of its readiness to step away from its identity as a kids’ platform to embrace its metaverse vision. What We Do in the Shadows contains numerous adult themes, so the fact that this reference gained approval by Roblox’s internal team even though it includes adult language shows how far the company will go to distance itself from the public perception that it’s merely for kids.
Roblox’s push toward older audiences is a cornerstone of its revamped identity. Recently, the company unveiled a logo refresh and corresponding tagline update that seemingly strives to appeal to people of all ages. It also continues to tout the platform’s changing demographics, which include a growing user base of players 13 and older.
If you’re looking to sink your teeth into Roblox, start with our list of the best Roblox games in 2022. And make sure your avatar looks fresh by checking out our Roblox promo code list for September and snag some music with our Roblox music codes for September. You can even download the theme song for What We Do in the Shadows.