So I’ve been thinking about why Minecraft and Roblox have managed to stay massive for so long, especially with Gen Z, and I feel like it comes down to a few simple things.
First, they don’t force you into a path. It’s not “beat boss → unlock gear → repeat.” It’s “here’s a world, do something fun.” That freedom means you can put in 20 hours or 2,000 and still find new stuff to do.
Second, they nailed first-session joy. You jump in, break a block, build something goofy, and you’re instantly having fun. Compare that to games that spend an hour making you grind through tutorials.
And then there’s the community/creator side — mods, servers, skins, UGC in Roblox, etc. When players are creating, the game never really runs out of content. Plus, cross-platform and social play keep things alive with friends.
I wrote a bit more about this on my blog, but here’s my big question for you all:
Do you think more games should lean into this kind of “player agency,” or do you prefer the structure of a traditional RPG/progression game?
Curious to hear what everyone thinks.
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