Online multiplayer game platform Roblox has teamed up with Universal Brand Development for a new coding initiative, ahead of the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘s US premiere on June 22.
Roblox and Universal are launching its Creator Challenge—a self-paced online coding program designed for first-timers with zero experience in the field—from June 12 to September 12. Using the program, kids will be able to customize and build their own virtual Jurassic World-inspired creations.
To complete the challenge, kids will head on a mission to rescue Blue, the velociraptor, from the Jurassic Park films, while learning how to use Roblox Studio, the free building tool used to create Roblox’s virtual worlds. After players complete certain lessons and quizzes, they will receive a Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom virtual item for their Roblox avatar. More detailed information will be available on Roblox’s site.
Also rolling out as a part of the Roblox Education program, launching today, is a curriculum for educators and an international summer coding camp.
The educational curriculum for teachers is a free, configurable coding course to introduces fundamentals to kids using Roblox’s virtual world. Available under a Creative Commons license, the curriculum includes 12 hours’ of step-by-step tutorials, as well as handouts, technical setup guides, and lesson guides for how to use the coding modules in classrooms, after-school programs and summer camps. There are plans to roll out more subjects in the future, and more information can be found on the Roblox Education site.
Throughout the summer, Roblox will also work with more than 500 coding camps and online programs in the US, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Spain, Brazil and Portugal, using the Roblox Studio platform. The camps include lessons on coding fundamentals, game design, digital citizenship and entrepreneurial skills.
The company will also be inviting 45 young developers to Roblox’s California-based headquarters to participate in the 12-week Roblox Summer Accelerator internship program. In the past, interns have created MeepCity and Lumber Tycoon during this program.
Roblox currently has more than 60 million monthly users creating virtual worlds online. The platform targets kids ages eight and up, and lets users develop their own 3D multiplayer games and play games created by other users. Last year, more than 11 million games were published and the company is currently preparing to grow internationally with former Apple exec Chris Misner, who is now the president of Roblox International.
In other Jurassic World news, Universal is launching its new augmented reality mobile game Jurassic World Alive. Walmart is partnering with Universal on the game, allowing users in the US and Canada to unlock more in-game content from June 6 to July 31 by visiting participating Walmart stores. As well, visitors to AMC Theatres players in the US can track down one-of-a-kind AMC-branded dinosaur resources to use in the game. The app was first announced back in March and is created in partnership with Canadian mobile developer Ludia.