Video games have seen and even catalyzed innumerable technological advances in the past decades, from decision trees, GPUs, and distributed multiplayer experiences to mobile screens and extended reality, cross-platform play, digital distribution, live services, user-generated content, and—most recently—artificial intelligence. But what if we were still only in the “Stone Age of gaming,” especially when coupled with new generative media capabilities?
In this inaugural episode, co-hosts Moritz Baier-Lentz and Hemal Thaker sit down with David Baszucki, the Co-Founder and CEO of Roblox, the pioneer of player-created interactive experiences—also known as user-generated content (UGC). David talks about how the vision for the platform originated from an educational physics simulation engine, and Roblox’s evolution from a niche platform to a leading innovative ecosystem in the gaming and creation world. The three also discuss the role of UGC on the platform, how safety and civility factor into game design, and where David is placing his bets on AI.