Latest news with #Roblox
Fashion United
44 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion United
G2 and Smiley tap into Gen Z's gaming-fashion nexus with collab
In an era where digital identity holds as much sway as physical presence, esports giant G2 Esports and the iconic pop symbol Smiley have joined forces to launch a limited-edition capsule collection targeting a generation where gaming and fashion increasingly overlap. The collaboration marks a first for Smiley, both in the esports space and in fully designing a gaming-led streetwear line. This could inspire a shift in how traditional lifestyle brands are reaching digitally native audiences. Launching exclusively online on July 17th, the G2 x Smiley collection offers a mashup of aesthetic codes: oversized graphics, summer-ready silhouettes, and a logo that fuses G2's signature samurai mask with Smiley's unmistakable yellow grin. The effect is something between irreverent optimism and digital warrior chic and will appeal to those fluent in meme culture and marathon Twitch streams. 'G2 is about pushing limits — in competition and creativity,' says Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports. 'We created something that's fun, daring, and unapologetically us.' Indeed, the launch is more than a fashion statement, t's a strategic branding play at the intersection of two cultural forces: esports and streetwear. G2, founded in 2015 and now with over 40 million global fans, is leveraging its momentum, including a seven-figure Series B raise and a growing media arm, to deepen its foothold in lifestyle. This collaboration follows a rising industry trend: fashion labels infiltrating gaming environments, not just through digital skins or sponsorships, but through tangible products worn IRL and URL. The capsule includes t-shirts, hoodies, and a limited-edition tufted rug, with an autumn/winter drop planned via pop-up retail later this year, complete with accessories, jeans, and more layering pieces. Love affair with gaming goes physical The fashion world's flirtation with gaming is fast becoming a full-blown relationship. According to Accenture, the global gaming industry is now worth over 320 billion dollars, surpassing film and music combined. For Gen Z, over 60 percent report engaging with fashion through digital channels like gaming and social media, with virtual self-expression increasingly mirroring (and influencing) physical wardrobe choices. From Balenciaga's Fortnite skins to Gucci's Roblox experiences, the convergence is undeniable. Yet few brands have married the offline with the online as natively as G2, which has evolved from competitive esports organization into a media-savvy lifestyle brand with credible fashion collaborations, including previous projects with Ralph Lauren and Adidas. 'Being playful is powerful,' says Ross Wilson, Chief Product Officer, Fashion at The Smiley Company. 'And G2 embodies that energy. They bring joy and fearlessness to their global community.' A new cultural lexicon for a new generation What makes the G2 x Smiley drop notable is its tone: optimistic, irreverent, and proudly self-aware. At a time when luxury houses struggle to capture the authenticity craved by Gen Z, G2's approach is refreshingly unfiltered. The brand wears its meme-savvy, post-ironic ethos on its sleeve, quite literally. This isn't G2's first foray into lifestyle, but it may be its most symbolically significant. As the organization marks its 10th anniversary in 2025, the Smiley collaboration serves as a bridge between fandom and fashion, gaming and IRL streetwear, and a glimpse into the future of cross-cultural brand expression.
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Roblox Adds Age Verification for Teens Who Want to Chat: What You Need to Know
Roblox, the popular gaming platform, has revamped the way it will handle player communications, particularly for those under 18. As detailed in a blog post, the company says it's changing "Friends" to "Connections" across the platform and is launching new tools to estimate a player's age via a video selfie. That age verification, for those 13 to 17, will unlock a feature called Trusted Connections that allows for less filtered text or voice chat. Those who aren't able to verify their age with the selfie tool will have the option to confirm it with an ID or in the future with parental consent, but the company did not say when that option would be available. Teens 13 to 17 will only be able to add people 18 and older as friends if they're eligible to access Trusted Connections, and only if they know them in real life -- as verified with a QR code or a contact importer tool -- Roblox says. Other changes rolling out include more tools to manage notifications, screen time and privacy, as well as additional tools for parents to monitor their teen's Roblox usage such as money spent or the amount of time they're spending on the platform. The changes are part of a longer-term effort by Roblox to make its platform safer for the younger players who use it. Last year, Roblox added more parental controls and monitoring as well as content labels within its virtual worlds. The platform has been plagued with predators targeting children and instances of illegal gambling. How these changes will affect players For those who are 18 or older, the changes should be minimal, although it's possible some users will be asked to verify their age even if they're out of the 13-17 range. For parents, there should be more options to monitor the use of the platform by their kids. While some of the changes appear to be happening immediately, such as the introduction of Connections, other features may take longer to implement, including the option for parental consent for those 13-17.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Roblox launches age-gated unfiltered chat feature: What it means for users
Roblox has unveiled its 'Trusted Connections' feature, launching this Thursday alongside an innovative age‑verification system that allows verified users aged 13+ to enjoy unfiltered chat and party features. The company's adoption of age screening technology comes amid an increasing push for digital safety across the US. Several states, like Utah, have introduced legislation requiring app store platforms ike Apple and Google to implement age verification systems for accessing certain apps. Roblox launches Trusted Connections and age-verification system for users 13+, enhancing digital safety.(Representative Image: Unsplash) Also Read: Good Trouble Lives On protests today: Schedule, locations, and details on anti-Trump rallies across US Roblox's unfiltered chat feature requires age verification Formerly known as Friends, Roblox's chat feature has now turned into Connections, according to Ryan Ebanks, a Roblox principal product manager for social products. He added that the new tech will prompt users above 13 years old to use the facial analysis software to determine their age in order to use to establish if they can access the new 'trusted connections' which will provide them the space to have unfiltered chats with other users who have gone through the same age screen process, as reported by NBC. According to Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman's blog post, the age estimator software urges users to take a video selfie of themselves, 'which is analyzed against a large and diverse dataset to estimate their age.' Kaufman continued, 'If the system is not able to estimate the user's age with high confidence, then the user's age will remain unconfirmed and the user won't be able to access Trusted Connections." In case the user fails to pass the age estimation software, but they are genuinely above the age of 13, they can still access the new chat feature by confirming their age via ID verification, 'and, in the future, verified parental consent." Roblox partnered with Persona to introduce the new age screening tech, revealed Ebanks during a call with reporters, adding that the biometric data will be deleted within 30 days of being collected, as reported by The Verge. Also Read: Trump admin blasted for planning to burn 500 metric tons of emergency food meant for starving kids, 'Government abuse' Can teens add adults to Trusted Connections? Users aged between 13 and 17 will be able to add each other as Trusted Connections. However, that will not be the case when the teenagers are required to add adults. To add anyone aged 18 or above as a Trusted Connection by the teens, they will have to do so by scanning a QR code offline or via Roblox's Contact Importer feature, according to Kaufman. This is to ensure teenagers do not engage with adult strangers. While the chats on Trusted Connections can be unfiltered, Robloc will monitor them for any 'critical harm.'
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Grand Theft Auto VI expected to generate nearly $8 billion within two months of its release
Image credit: Playstation Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) is set to launch in May next year. Meanwhile, investment firm Konvoy has made major predictions for the upcoming open world title's financial performance. The video game venture capitalist company suggests that GTA 6 will generate $7.6 billion in revenue within just two months or 60 days of its release. Josh Chapman, a managing partner of Konvoy, shared this forecast on a post shared on the professional networking site LinkedIn. He highlighted that the firm believes that the highly anticipated game will have major commercial success. However, it's important to note that Konvoy's projection is based on certain assumptions that Take-Two Interactive has not yet confirmed, such as an $80 price point for the game and a reported budget of around $2 billion, which the company is said to have spent to develop the game. Konvoy's analysis suggests that GTA 6 could recover its estimated $2 billion budget in under 30 days and build considerable momentum. The firm predicts that it may become the gaming industry's biggest launch to date and is expected to break records for both copies sold and revenue generated by a game. Considering that analysts have referred to GTA 6 as "the most important game to ever release in the industry," a multi-billion dollar revenue figure may be within reach for the title. What Konvoy analyst Josh Chapman predicted about GTA 6's success In his LinkedIn post, Chapman wrote: '🎮 GTA VI: we predict that GTA VI will generate $7.6 BILLION in revenue in the first 60 Days of its launch (current release date: May 26, 2026). This will be the greatest video game release of all time; shattering player, viewership, and revenue records. For Take-Two Interactive's $2 billion investment into this game, we believe they will break even on that within 30 days of release (see our breakdown in the chart attached). 🚀 Predictions: Our Expectations of GTA VI: We chatted internally here at Konvoy and decided to write down a few predictions and make them public. In the end, we're just gamers who can't wait to see this title released: 1️⃣ GTA VI is the largest gaming release of all time, shattering records of copies sold and revenue generated within almost every period of time 2️⃣ GTA VI will cost $80 (there will be premium versions of course, but the base price is $80) 3️⃣ GTA VI is the next UGC platform. It will have a UGC component that includes creator payouts for server hosts, mod creators, and more (mimicking the creator economics of UEFN and Roblox) 4️⃣ GTA VI will have 200-person lobbies, and there will be higher risk/reward dynamics where you can raid and steal items from players more easily 5️⃣ GTA VI will break even on its $2bn investment <30 days of release 6️⃣ GTA VI will hit the attached chart of copies sold, revenue, and player targets. We can't wait for this title to be released in 2026. I'll certainly be playing it.' AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Roblox introduces new safeguards for teens, including age estimation tech
Roblox announced Thursday that it's launching new safeguards for people who are between the ages of 13 and 18. The company is introducing 'Trusted Connections' to allows these users to connect more freely with people they know, alongside age estimation technology, more privacy tools, and insights for parents of teens. Roblox has come under fire in recent years for how it handles child safety. In April, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a subpoena to Roblox in response to reports that children were exposed to harmful material on the platform and that predatory adults were able to message minors on the app. The changes announced Thursday are likely part of Roblox's efforts to appease both lawmakers and parents. The teen-focused update comes eight months after Roblox launched protections for users under the age of 13. Roblox is renaming 'Friends' to 'Connections' and launching 'Trusted Connections' to allow teens to communicate more freely in chat and voice with people they trust. With Trusted Connections, users can chat without filters. 'Users the system determines are 13+ will get access to more expressive chat features with their Trusted Connections,' said Ryan Ebanks, senior product manager at Roblox, in a briefing with reporters. 'This additional freedom reduces the incentive for teens to move interactions off platform where they may be exposed to greater risk.' Roblox notes that conversations between Trusted Connections are proactively monitored for critical harm (e.g., grooming). Plus, parents can view who their teen is connected to as a Trusted Connection. To unlock Trusted Connections, users need to use the platform's new age estimation technology to verify their age by taking a selfie video; they must receive an estimation of at least 13 years old to access Trusted Connections. Roblox notes that if the system is unable to verify age with high confidence, their age will remain unconfirmed. If the user doesn't pass the age estimation, they can confirm their age with ID verification. Users 13 to 17 who have their age confirmed can add each other as a Trusted Connection. Unfiltered communication between users aged 18 and above and teens is blocked unless a preexisting real-life relationship is verified via a QR code. The company plans to use age estimation across its platform to support user access to age-appropriate features and content. As for the new privacy tools, teens can now decide who can see if they're online. They can set this to be visible to just their Connections, followers, no one, or everyone on Roblox. They can now also set a window during which push notifications from Roblox are silenced. Roblox is giving parents access to a suite of tools to understand their child's usage and presence on the platform. Parents can now view who their teen is connected to, as well as how much time their teen spends on the platform and in which games. Plus, parents can choose to be notified when their teen makes a certain transaction on Roblox. 'We know that parents are extremely busy, and so we've designed these to really be quick at a glance insights that parents can hopefully fit into their busy schedules,' said Dina Lamdany, senior product manager at Roblox, in the briefing. Sign in to access your portfolio
