The sketchy economy that helps Roblox make its millions
In the second edition of our gaming newsletter: the vastly popular kids' game has a more troubling way than usual of making money from its 200m players
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This week we're taking a critical look at one of the most popular games in the world - one you've probably never played.
CNET's Mark Serrels goes into how the Australian mining industry - which, for years, funded a lump-of-coal mascot to teach children about crossing the road and brushing their teeth - is now using video games such as Minecraft to ingratiate itself to young Aussies.
Though we are thankfully no longer in the dark days of the 00s, when basically every single game character was either a gruff white dude or a cartoon animal, video games still have a diversity problem. Non-white protagonists are still quite rare, and so Kotaku's Isaiah Colbert was disappointed to discover that the star of Square-Enix's forthcoming fantasy game Forspoken appears to be an amalgamation of Black stereotypes". This is an important lesson on why it's important to have a diverse workforce working on your games' characters.
Picking family games to play at Christmas really depends on the kind of family you have. If you all get along marvellously and cruise through the festive season in a joyous bubble of harmony and camaraderie, try a game that requires teamwork like It Takes Two, Overcooked or Moving Out.
If, however, you have a normal family, release pent up aggression and resolve decade-old grudges with classic racer Mario Kart or a modern fighter like ARMS. If you want something to suit all the generations, Just Dance requires zero gaming skills (and very little dancing ability, to be honest) so it's great for getting everyone on their feet, even if Uncle Nigel's had one too many sherries.
Strange, horny game ads are flooding social media. I accidentally became obsessed
Ten board games that your teens might actually play with you this Christmas
Analogue Pocket review - a heaven-sent gift for Game Boy fans
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