Young Fans Engage with Team USA on Roblox during Olympics

The Olympic world is taking a step into the virtual realm with a new collaboration with popular gaming platform Roblox. The U.S. Olympic team and NBC have teamed up to create an obstacle course game on Roblox, along with other features that allow fans to interact with U.S. athletes, check out highlights from the Paris Games, and even visit a virtual Team USA House called “The Vibe House.”

This new Roblox feature, set to debut on Monday, will include animated versions of 20 U.S. Olympians, including surfers, skateboarders, and break dancers. These sports have been added to the Olympic program in an effort to attract younger fans to the games.

One of the break dancers, 35-year-old Sunny Choi, shared that her family was more excited about her being in Roblox than in the Olympics. Choi and fellow breaker Victor Montalvo will be featured in “Emotes,” animated versions of themselves showcasing their favorite dance moves. Some of the Emotes will be available for free, with the option to purchase others, with proceeds going to the athletes.

Roblox, with over 77.7 million daily active users, aims to engage younger audiences with this new feature. Choi expressed her excitement about the opportunity to share breaking with a wider community and promote a message of self-expression and happiness through the game.

This collaboration marks the first time “official” Emotes based on real athletes and their moves have been created in Roblox. As the virtual world continues to expand, the Olympic world is finding new ways to connect with fans of all ages.