On Sept. 9, 2023, at 8:16pm CT, just 45 minutes before its scheduled start time, Roblox posted a notice to the social media platform X alerting fans that the 2023 Innovation Awards would be cancelled due to a severe safety concern. Around four hours before this notice was released, alarming posts were made to the same site in which a user alluded to having plans to open fire at the award show and specifically target popular Roblox community members Ruben Sim and AlaskanReality. At 8:14pm CT, the user who originally threatened the actions made a follow-up post in which they apologized for the disturbance and insisted it was all a "hoax."
In the original X posts, the enraged user stated that they would be "taking action against Roblox for not doing [anything] about Roblox nazis and racists like Ruben Sim and AlaskanReality," and that they're "tired of furrys, queer folk and innocent people getting trolled and doxxed [while] Roblox does nothing about it." The user then made two final posts, one that stated "It's so over," and included an image of tactical gear, and another that stated "I will be seeing you soon at RDC Roblox, and good luck to everyone there," and included images of a gunman and a restaurant.
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These posts have since been deleted, and follow-up posts have been made in which the user clarified that the original threats were meant to be interpreted as "jokes," and that they "didn’t mean [for it] to get that bad." Since Roblox's cancellation announcement, thousands of Roblox fans, community members, and creators have stepped forward to share their approval of Roblox's decision, along with their anger toward the ignorance of the incriminated user.
At 8:13pm CT, popular Roblox YouTuber KreekCraft posted an update stating that the awards had been cancelled, and that he was safe, along with all other attendees. Around 30 minutes later, another YouTuber, Sabrina Brite, stated that she was "super upset about the Roblox Innovation Awards being cancelled due to a threat," and that she "felt really bad for all of the amazing people who put their heart and soul into creating an amazing awards show, and all of the people who traveled [there] to experience it." Brite concluded the tweet by thanking Roblox for hosting RDC, and sharing her love for the community and its "amazing people."
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KreekCraft, along with many other users who had made positive posts about the event overall, then aired his grievances directly to the original poster, stating that they deserve to "go to hell," for their life-threatening and short-sighted actions, whether they were intended to be viewed as "jokes" or not. The fan-run Roblox news account RTC added that the user's immaturity "is not an excuse for something [that] shouldn't [be] joked about," followed by popular UGC designer cSapphireCS leaving a line of middle finger emojis.
At the time of this article's publication, it's unknown if and/or when the award show will be rescheduled, or what has happened to the original poster. Multiple users, including the specifically targeted AlaskanReality, have stated that they plan to press charges against the original user due to the mental, physical, and financial detriment they caused. AlaskanReality himself stated that the original user "made a threat that could've jeopardized hundreds of lives, and ruined a momentous night for many hard working people," and that if Roblox doesn't sue them for it, he will—"that's a promise."
As more information is released regarding this situation, this article will be updated accordingly. Pro Game Games also wants to remind readers that jokes in which people's lives are put at risk, or seriously hateful comments are made, are not jokes, and that situations like this one should always be taken seriously, regardless of original intent.
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Published: Sep 9, 2023 08:36 pm