Obby, brick battle, reeeee: uh—translation please? This pocket dictionary to Roblox terminology is perfect for those who might not speak “gamer”.
If it sounds like your child has picked up a new language when they talk all things Roblox, in a way, they are! Roblox is an incredibly engaging platform with thousands of different games to choose from, tremendous potential for monetization, and an excellent means of introducing Lua coding to kids.
But to understand all of Roblox’s awesome benefits (and to ensure kids are accessing them safely), it’s important to know what your child is saying when they talk about this online world.
iD Tech is here to help bridge that knowledge gap!
We recently hosted our first-ever expert "101" workshop just for parents to tackle Roblox FAQ’s and help them encourage kids to not just play video games, but think critically about game design and even monetize by creating shirts and clothing in Roblox, and other items as well.
This dictionary, a field guide, if you will, is a great way to supplement your Roblox knowledge and build a gamer’s vocabulary that may surprise your child. Here is some of the key Roblox slang you might notice your child using online as they play their favorite game.
Roblox Terms and Slang
As a bonus, you’ll see a handful of these terms elsewhere online nowadays—all the better for understanding chats and other content your child might stumble upon.
1v1
This refers to a 1-on-1 Roblox game in which two players face off against each other.
ABC
Easy as 1-2-3, this isn’t an acronym, it just means that a player is willing to do something as part of typical gameplay. “ABC” can be used both as a question and as a response. It’s commonly used in the Roblox game Adopt Me to reference a collaborative challenge like finding a sibling or pet.
Adopt Me
The most popular game on Roblox, averaging 500,000 concurrent players daily, Adopt Me has taken the platform by storm. It’s a role playing game in which players can “adopt” and care for pets and other avatars—sort of like a massive interactive Tamagotchi community.
Unsurprisingly, Adopt Me’s popularity has led to tremendous financial success through microtransactions within the game. To date, the game has earned $16 million dollars and climbing; if your child could use a little inspiration to create and monetize their own Roblox game—that’s one impressive number!
AFK
This stands for “away from keyboard.” Players will send this shorthand along when they’re taking a break from Roblox.
B)
Yes, this one includes the half parentheses! It’s a lighthearted emoticon that represents someone smiling.
BRB
This stands for “be right back”, and is often used when players need to step away from their computers for a moment.
Brick
This commonly-used material can be used to create all kinds of things in Roblox. Like other building materials (pebble, marble, wood etc.) available in the game, brick is a “block” that can be used to create customized items and worlds.
BTC
This can refer to either the cryptocurrency bitcoin or mean “because they can”.
Brick Battle
This is a type of combat game available in Roblox. Kids can battle opponents one on one or in teams. Some of the most popular Brick Battle games include Doomspire and Crossroads.
Cord/Discord
This refers to Discord, an online text and voice chatting software that, while very widely used, is questionable in terms of its safety for kids. Specifically, it’s very easy for strangers to connect with kids. If your child mentions “cord” or Discord, it’s fair to treat it as a red flag and an opportunity to discuss online safety.
FFA
This stands for “free for all” and refers to a game in which it’s every player for themselves.
GG
This abbreviation stands for “good game”, and it's something players might say after an epic Roblox session.
IG
This means “in game”, and it can refer to in game purchases, features, and other aspects of Roblox games.
ISTG
This stands for “I Swear to God,” and might be used when kids are interacting with each other on Roblox chat.
Lua
Lua is a coding language that, in addition to being used to create games and customizations within Roblox, is versatile throughout the gaming and design industries.
If your child has never coded before, Lua is one of the best programming languages for kids, and is a fantastic starting point for a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s definitely on the simpler end of the programming language spectrum and might be less intimidating to beginners. Lua also powers Roblox Studio which, once kids learn how it works, is like unlocking the secrets of the games they already love.
Now what child wouldn’t want to do that?
Noob
“Noob” is pretty much universal gamer-speak for a beginner at a particular video game who might not know all of the rules yet. While it can be used playfully, it can also be derogatory, so it’s a good one to watch if you’re seeing it pop up a lot in your child’s gaming discourse.
Obby
An “obby” (sometimes spelled “obbie”) is a type of obstacle course game, one of the most common in Roblox. Players can escape mazes, towers, and other engaging environments. Fun to play, sure, but obbies are even more fun to make!
Oof
As you might imagine, “oof” is a way of saying “ouch” or “phew” playfully in Roblox. Players might say this after they face off against an adversary.
PTS
This stands for “permission to speak” and is sometimes used as shorthand in Roblox chat.
PS
PS, or private server, is a way for kids to play Roblox exclusively with friends they invite to join a game. It’s worth noting that typically, private servers cost extra within Roblox, and not all games offer a private server option.
Pwn/Pwned
Pronounced “pone,” this term means that a player was soundly defeated in a video game. A kid might say “let’s pwn some noobs” as a way to kick off game play.
Reeeee
This is an interesting one—“reeeee” is meant to express frustration or anger, and is a favorite exclamation of YouTubers who stream themselves playing Roblox.
Roblox Studio
An amazing, free platform, Roblox Studio can be used to create customized Roblox objects and games. By learning to code with Lua, the sky’s the limit to what kids can make with Roblox Studio! For more on this, check out our complete parent’s guide to getting kids started in Roblox.
Robloxian
A Robloxian is anyone who plays Roblox! And they’re in good company, as millions of people access Roblox on a daily basis.
Robux
Robux is the internal currency used for in-game purchases. This is where the monetization aspect of Roblox cashes in, and often in a major way. Through microtransactions, many kids have learned to make money online from home, turning their passion for gaming into a lucrative enterprise.
SMH
This acronym stands for “shaking my head” and might be used to express joking disapproval of an action within the game (or just in general online).
SOZ
An abbreviation for “sorry”, players will use this to apologize for mistakes made while playing the game.
TT
Used when signing off from a game, this stands for “til tomorrow”.
XD
If this one’s baffling, it’s because it doesn’t stand for a word at all! XD is meant to mimic the look of a smiling face, and is used as a text emoji in online chat.
Now you know the lingo, let’s talk next steps!
Congratulations, newly-minted Roblox speaker! With your knowledge, you’ll be better able to connect and communicate with your child about their favorite game.
What’s more, by understanding the world of Roblox on a deeper level, you’ll be more well-equipped to encourage them to get creative with it. Whether it’s by making their own obby, learning to monetize a game, or just getting into game design, there are so many ways to transform simply consuming video games into valuable skills. (See all of our Roblox summer camps and courses.)
Who knows! They may become the next Roblox influencer like iD Tech’s very own Costa and Nikko, better known as the Taco Bros on their YouTube channel. Check out their tutorials here!