Playdium is a Canadian arcade game distributor and family entertainment center owned by Cineplex Entertainment through Player One Amusement Group. Established in 1994, Playdium offers a variety of attractions and services, including arcade games, go-karts, mini-golf, and personalized events.
For those looking for alternatives to Playdium, options include Rec Room, Roblox, and Minecraft.
Rec Room
Developed by the Seattle-based Rec Room Inc, Rec Room entered the virtual fray in 2016, leveraging the power of Unity engine to deliver a unique gaming experience.
Rec Room Top Features
- Utilizes Unity engine for high-quality, immersive content.
- Offers VR playability via SteamVR, Meta & ByteDance, PlayStation VR.
- Robust multiplayer modes with games like first-person shooters, battle royale games, and role-playing quests.
- Present “Maker Pen” for room creation, enabling users to build their virtual domains.
- A visual programming language, Circuits, for user-friendly coding.
| Rec Room Plus | A monthly subscription offering opportunities for user-generated content selling. |
| Social Interaction | A built-in social media platform, rec.net, for photo sharing and interaction. |
| Avatar Customization | Offers a wide variety of options for personalizing avatars. |
Rec Room Downsides
- Issues of trolling and harassment as reported by Ars Technica in 2017.
- User reviews highlight a problematic moderation system and prevalent bullying.
- Potential for exposure to explicit materials depending on the servers and rooms accessed.
- Age rating varies, with some content deemed suitable for users as young as 12, raising safety concerns.
Rec Room Pricing
While the core application is accessible without cost, the platform offers monthly subscription to Rec Room Plus, presenting numerous premium features and benefits.
Rec Room Use Cases
Use Case 1 – Gaming Enthusiasts
Gamers find value in variety; Rec Room does not disappoint. From first-person shooters to RPG quests, there’s always something to captivate interest.
Use Case 2 – Social Butterflies
Rec Room serves as an engaging, interactive platform, perfect for social butterflies looking to connect in a virtual world.
Use Case 3 – Content Creators
With Rec Room’s visual programming language, Circuits, and room-building functionality, content creators wield tremendous power in crafting unique virtual experiences.
Roblox
Roblox, a brainchild of David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, is a hefty online platform for game creation. Launched in 2006, it accommodates over 100 million active monthly users with a rich content library of user-generated games that eclipse 50 million. Fueling both unstructured play and collaborative development, this platform empowers around 2 million creators, earning it comparisons with YouTube’s user-generated content ethos.
Roblox Top Features
- Proprietary engine, Roblox Studio, for game creation.
- Compatibility with Lua derivative, Luau, for game coding.
- A social interaction facet – adding friends and chat functionality.
- Robust player safety algorithms to guard against sensitive information and inappropriate imagery.
- Compatibility with external software – Blender for modelling and animating.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Financial Rewards for Creators | Roblox offers substantial rewards, with over $100M projected payout in 2019. |
| Safety Measures | “For Parents” section on the public website explains safety measures and reporting system. |
| Teaching Resources | Extensive resources for learning Roblox programming languages and game development. |
Roblox Downsides
- Issues with moderation.
- Frequent criticisms around microtransactions.
- Reports of adult content and misuse by adult players.
Roblox Pricing
Roblox employs an in-app purchase system through a virtual currency called Robux.
Roblox Use Cases
Use case 1
Used extensively by game developers for creating diverse games using Roblox Studio and Luau.
Use case 2
Widely adopted by young players for enjoying vast library of user-generated games and social interactions.
Use case 3
Used by educators and learners to grasp the fundamentals of game development through extensive educational resources.
Minecraft
Minecraft, the Swedish gem from programmer Markus “Notch” Persson, dominates the gaming universe, with more than 200 million copies sold and boasting a mammoth 125 million active players per month.
Top Minecraft Features
- Multiple game modes such as Adventure and Survival boosting replayability.
- Releases like the Minecraft: Education Edition that promotes creative problem-solving and enhances STEM skills.
- The Minecraft Marketplace using Minecoins for purchasing add-ons and skins.
| Update | Key Enhancements |
|---|---|
| 1.4 Pretty Scary Update (2012) | Introduced Witches, Bats, Zombie Villagers, etc. |
| Update Aquatic (2018) | Revamped oceans, added Turtle, Dolphin, Cod, etc. |
| Caves and Cliffs (2021) | Revolutionized world generation; added Grove, Meadow overworld biomes. |
Minecraft Limitations
- Fined by the EU for excluding competitive multimedia software on Windows.
- Microsoft discontinued both online and disk versions of the Encarta encyclopedia.
Minecraft Use Cases
Educational
The Minecraft: Education Edition encourages collaborative learning and enhances STEM skills in a playful and engaging environment.
Entertainment
Topping the list as the most-watched games on streaming platforms, Minecraft fashions an entertaining playground for gaming community worldwide.
Creative Self-expression
With a focus on creativity and self-expression, the forthcoming 2023 Trails and Tales Update will offer new tools for innovative design.
