Virtual worlds and online gaming are quickly becoming a case study in human culture.
The study of humanity often brings to mind classic literature, ancient languages, and the curated remnants of civilizations long past. As our cultural landscapes evolve, however, so too do the humanities, expanding to include contemporary forms of expression. In a world shaped by digital storytelling, scholars are increasingly turning their attention to modern media, including videogames, as present-day cultural artifacts.
Professor Kerry Soper (Popular Culture and Comedy) began playing video games in early elementary school, and online gaming has changed quite a bit since then. In his Y Play lecture on March 9, 2025, Soper took a deeper look at one specific game—Roblox—as a modern-day artifact that provides insight into human culture.
Second Lives and Third Spaces
Roblox is a massive multiplayer game (MPG) in which users create an avatar and then explore a virtual world. Soper compared the virtual realm of Roblox to a “carnivalesque experiences,” much like medieval and renaissance festivals and carnivals where the rules of everyday life were suspended. These festivities provided space for a “second life” experience, one where participants left everyday normalcy and would act irreverently, consume in excess, and engage in “mask-wearing opportunities to try out different identities and social inversions,” he said.
Today, Roblox gamers experience something similar when they explore the game’s supernatural and semi-dangerous realms. In these realms, Soper said, “there’s so much to explore, and so much of yourself to discover in terms of moral choices and expression of your creativity and imagination.”
In these second life experiences, gamers step into another world, one that functions as a “third space”—a social environment outside of home and work where people gather, connect, and build community. While some view engaging in these second lives and virtual third spaces as a form of escapism, Soper said, “in these kinds of imaginative spaces, where you’re trying out new identities and connecting with others, there’s a democratic freedom at play that can ripple out into everyday life in positive and progressive ways.”
This is true especially for a younger audience. “Studies show that learning takes place best when kids are given a set of tools and parameters within which to use them,” Soper said. “Roblox hits this sort of sweet spot of freedom to explore in terms of tools, limitations, parameters, and a setting for creativity.”
From Virtual to Reality
The impact of virtual gaming on culture is most clearly seen through its influence on adolescent consumers. Soper shared that 40 percent of Roblox users are under the age of 13, which raises questions about the safety of access, age limits, and online Discord communication. Despite parents petitioning for ways to combat these digital dangers, “every time Roblox comes up with a plan, it seems to somehow crumble under ways nefarious people might misuse it,” Soper said. “It’s a tricky realm that parents are constantly wrestling with.” Soper spoke of his own wrestle with setting guidelines for his children about the costs of games, the time allowed for play, and the overall effect the games have on them.
In all, games like Roblox, have both benefits and drawbacks that influence modern culture. Roblox provides “a cool realm in terms of exploration, identity and construction,” Soper said, and as technology evolves, these virtual worlds will continue to offer insights into the state of modern humanity.
View the schedule for upcoming Y Play lectures here.