4 ms·

Some of it is relatively benign cosmetic items for your avatar, like Fortnite. There is definitely a stigma associated with having "bacon hair" which is the def

Some of it is relatively benign cosmetic items for your avatar, like Fortnite. There is definitely a stigma associated with having "bacon hair" which is the default. Or the ability to play on a server with just your friends. Other times it is a shortcut to stuff that you could get by grinding. $5 gets you twice the XP (experience points) so you can unlock new weapons, levels, etc. Individual games sometimes take this to extremes, I once calculated I would have to play an hour a day for a week to get an item I could unlock for a buck. The worst ones (Epic Mini-Games, I'm looking at you!) are the ones where you can outright pay to win by breaking the game mechanics. Turn yourself invisible, big honking sword that you can't earn, double your chances of being selected for something special. For the most part the games are truly free to play. You can play in all the modes that are available to paying customers.

alisonkisk 6y ago
Stigma? For not spending money? For me that's an instant cancel of the account and introduce my kid to a better class of friendsm
- crooked-v 6y ago
  This may shock you, but kids do exactly the same kind of thing in regards to clothes, food, and even inanities like brands of pens and pencils.
  - _carbyau_ 6y ago
    Hell, when it comes to social signalling via "stuff" much of society does this. Doesn't make it right though.
    - jackson1442 6y ago
      But I'd say an instant canceling of your child's account for a frequent societal phenomenon is a bit overdramatic, even if it's not right.
      - _carbyau_ 6y ago
        I'd even go so far as to say it is the incorrect response. Educate your kid as to what happened and what they can do about it then let your kid figure out how they want to respond. If they are going to come across it for the rest of their life they might as well know how to deal with it.
  - MikeUt 6y ago
    That was not the case during my childhood in Europe.
    - rlonn 6y ago
      Which Europe was that, and did you live among humans at the time?
    - dagw 6y ago
      When and where? It was very much the case in all 3 European countries I grew up in.
- mastazi 6y ago
  I'm over 40 and stigma for not spending money was also a thing when I was a kid. I still remember discussions about who had the trendiest school backpack. I'm not saying that it's a good thing, just noticing that it would still be there even if you took a "no videogames" stance.
Thorrez 6y ago
There are some free hairs available: https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=11&Subcategory=20&CurrencyType=5&pxMin=0&pxMax=0 https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=11&Subcategory=20&Cu... https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=4&Subcategory=37&CurrencyType=5&pxMin=0&pxMax=0 https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=4&Subcategory=37&Cur... Also you can just go bald for a LEGO-like look, which has always been my favorite.
sjg007 6y ago
You can also pay for a private server too with robux. My kids earn robux if they do chores or read a book etc... Right now it is a good positive reinforcement reward system.

alisonkisk 6y ago

Stigma? For not spending money? For me that's an instant cancel of the account and introduce my kid to a better class of friendsm

crooked-v 6y ago
This may shock you, but kids do exactly the same kind of thing in regards to clothes, food, and even inanities like brands of pens and pencils.
- _carbyau_ 6y ago
  Hell, when it comes to social signalling via "stuff" much of society does this. Doesn't make it right though.
  - jackson1442 6y ago
    But I'd say an instant canceling of your child's account for a frequent societal phenomenon is a bit overdramatic, even if it's not right.
    - _carbyau_ 6y ago
      I'd even go so far as to say it is the incorrect response. Educate your kid as to what happened and what they can do about it then let your kid figure out how they want to respond. If they are going to come across it for the rest of their life they might as well know how to deal with it.
- MikeUt 6y ago
  That was not the case during my childhood in Europe.
  - rlonn 6y ago
    Which Europe was that, and did you live among humans at the time?
  - dagw 6y ago
    When and where? It was very much the case in all 3 European countries I grew up in.
mastazi 6y ago
I'm over 40 and stigma for not spending money was also a thing when I was a kid. I still remember discussions about who had the trendiest school backpack. I'm not saying that it's a good thing, just noticing that it would still be there even if you took a "no videogames" stance.

Thorrez 6y ago

There are some free hairs available: https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=11&Subcategory=20&CurrencyType=5&pxMin=0&pxMax=0 https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=11&Subcategory=20&Cu... https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=4&Subcategory=37&CurrencyType=5&pxMin=0&pxMax=0 https://www.roblox.com/catalog?Category=4&Subcategory=37&Cur... Also you can just go bald for a LEGO-like look, which has always been my favorite.

sjg007 6y ago

You can also pay for a private server too with robux. My kids earn robux if they do chores or read a book etc... Right now it is a good positive reinforcement reward system.