ROBLOX has announced it will remove the ‘oof’ sound effect from the game due to licensing issues.
The ‘oof’ sound has been a long standing staple of online meta game Roblox, as a popular sound effect to play when your character dies.
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However, it has now been removed from the game following licensing issues and replaced with a ‘default’ sound effect.
According to a report by TheGamer, Roblox originally entered into an agreement with Tommy Tallerico, CCO of Intellivision, who originally created the sound for the game Messiah.
The sound effect was previously sold as a microtransaction in the Roblox store for 100 Robux ($1/80p).
‘Oof’ has been removed from the store, presumably because Tallerico has rescinded the right to sell the sound as its creator.
Roblox has announced that it will continue to develop new sounds for players to use, as well as making some old sounds available again.
In a statement it said:
“Related to sounds, due to a licensing issue we have removed the ‘oof’ sound from Roblox and have created a replacement default sound which launches today (July 26).
“We plan to expand our Avatar Shop with a whole range of both old and new sounds in the future.
“Our roadmap includes the ability to add sounds by getting them directly from the creators and licensors.
“Users will also be able to customise sounds for their avatars in the same way they customise clothing.”
This system would allow for more player-built gameplay within Roblox’s already user-centred environment.
It could indicate that as Roblox changes its system so that items and sounds are sold by the original creators and not the service, people like Tallerico will switch to selling their properties themselves.
It has not been made clear whether this change will see higher profit margins for the creators or for the game.
While Roblox has said it will make further announcements about changes to the store “shortly”, we are yet to know when they will take effect.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
