Filament Games and FIRST® Launch RoboCo Sports League on Roblox to Make Robotics and STEM Learning Accessible to Students Globally

MADISON, Wis., Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Educational game developer Filament Games is today announcing the launch of their newest title, RoboCo Sports League, a sandbox robotics experience, on Roblox, a global platform for communication and connection. This exciting new digital robotics experience offers an open-ended immersive space that users can easily access for free from anywhere in the world to construct and control their robots.

With the aim of making STEM learning engaging and fun, the mechanics of RoboCo Sports League specifically focus on design thinking and the iterative design process. Users are encouraged to think like real engineers, fostering creativity and problem-solving skills as they craft and refine their robotic creations to perform in various multiplayer challenges.

"Our design philosophy at Filament Games centers around the alignment of educational goals with captivating game mechanics. In RoboCo Sports League, we've woven the engineering design process directly and authentically into the experience," said Filament Games CEO Dan White. "This levels the playing field for all aspiring young roboticists. Because it takes place on the Roblox platform, it transcends barriers typically associated with background and financial circumstance. With this immersive experience, every user has the chance to unearth their inner engineer, all while having so much fun that they hardly notice this transformation taking place."

RoboCo Sports League offers a diverse range of challenges that put users' robotics skills to the test. From the soccer-inspired "RoboCo Polo," to the cooperative task of "Yeet the Sheep" where precision is key, and the agility-demanding "Skatepark Scramble," each experience tasks users with constructing a different robot suited for the task. For those seeking complexity, "Parmesan Pipeline" simulates the intricacies of industrial logistics, while "Boarding Party" requires users to collaborate and build a ramp before time runs out.

Designed in collaboration with FIRST®, the world's leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education, RoboCo Sports League incorporates the FIRST principles of Coopertition® and Gracious Professionalism®. These values are central to the experience's design, offering users a blend of both competitive and cooperative challenges. Just like in FIRST programs, users in RoboCo Sports League learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, and collaboration.

"FIRST is a transformative experience for young people, helping them develop into STEM enthusiasts and leaders who have skills like critical thinking, communication, and conflict resolution," said Chris Rake, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, FIRST. "Our hands-on experiences are designed with a focus on civility and working together, and we are excited to bring that collaborative spirit to the millions of users on Roblox through our work with Filament Games. We are thrilled to bring RoboCo Sports League into our community as we bring people together and spread the joy of STEM learning."RoboCo Sports League is an example of the impact of the Roblox Community Fund (RCF), which initially launched in 2021 to jumpstart the next chapter of Roblox's education expansion and support innovative impact initiatives. This initiative provides grants to educational organizations that develop immersive and compelling educational experiences on the Roblox platform.

RoboCo Sports League offers a charming and immersive learning experience that fosters users' passion for STEM. To join in the robotic revelry, users can visit https://www.roblox.com/games/14973875362/RoboCo-Sports-League.

As part of the Roblox platform experience, players will also have the chance to scale Mount Delta. Scaling Mount Delta is a fun and challenging experience where kids must use durable skills, such as creativity and fortitude to reach the summit. Through the free EvolveMe™ digital career readiness experience -- from American Student Assistance (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way kids learn about careers and navigate a path to postsecondary success – teens will also earn rewards for achieving milestones along their journey. "ASA research shows many young people are not adequately prepared to make informed, confident decisions about what they want to do after high school. Providing youth with direct access to a highly engaging game-like experience that incentivizes them to explore, experiment, and complete tasks that advance career interests, makes developing critical skills to prepare for a successful life after high school fun and exciting," said Clay Colarusso, CMO and SVP of Digital Strategy at ASA.

For more information about RoboCo Sports League, please visit rsl.roboco.co.

About Filament Games:

Filament Games is a boutique game development studio with an 18-year track record of success and leadership in the educational game space. We're all about delivering positive impacts as well as legitimately engaging gameplay - simultaneously! It's both our specialty and our #1 priority, whether the intended impact takes the form of new knowledge, broader empathy, or a fresh perspective. With more than 400 projects completed for heavyweight clients like National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Oculus, McGraw-Hill, Scholastic, and more, our team brings an expert hand to creating stunning educational games that can reach any age, leverage any platform, and teach any topic.

About FIRST®:

FIRST^® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured afterschool programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges. An international not-for-profit organization founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org.

SOURCE Filament Games