Roblox removes iconic ‘practice’ sound, fans start hashtag

Fans of the online game platform Roblox have rallied after Roblox Corporation removed the iconic death sound from the game. The signature ‘practice’ has been removed from the game due to a licensing dispute with its creator.

In a Tweet writes Roblox Corporation that the ‘practice’ has been replaced by a new default sound due to a license issue. Previously, the sound effect seemed to be licensed in the game itself; for a dollar or 100 robux, gamers could use the ‘practice’ in a proprietary game format within Roblox. Apparently this deal is no longer in effect.

The sound was originally created by Tommy Tallarico for a little known action game called Messiah. That game came out in 2000, but Tallarico discovered years later that his sound effect was used in Roblox. He wrote in 2019: “I’m not mad at Roblox and I don’t want them to take my ‘practice’ sound out of the game. (…) I’ll have to be compensated fairly and I’ve never been cheap,” he says with a smiley emoticon behind it.

It’s not clear if Tallarico ever actually had a licensing deal with Roblox Corporation. Either way, fans are wondering why the company couldn’t land a deal for the sound effect. Roblox is one of the most popular game platforms of recent years and according to critics, the sound, which has now taken on a life of its own, should therefore simply be purchased by the company. Below the hashtag #SaveTheOOF fans are trying to draw attention to the problem. It is not known what, if any, Roblox Corporation would have to pay for a licensing deal with Tallarico.

Roblox is a creative gaming environment where users can create a variety of game modes