The Surprising Reason Roblox's Most Meme-Able Sound Is Gone

Fans of "Roblox" were devastated to learn one of the most popular sounds from the game is disappearing. On July 26, the official Roblox Twitter announced that the iconic player-death sound, commonly known affectionately as "oof," has been removed from the game "due to a licensing issue" and replaced with something new. It almost seems as if Roblox Corporation anticipated a negative reaction, essentially burying the news in a longer thread about the company's upcoming plan to make assets like sounds available through the game's Avatar Shop. If Roblox did indeed predict a backlash from fans, the company was very much correct.

Responses to the announcement were negative to say the least. Some reacted with shock. Others with despair. Still others tried to soften the blow with humor. Some struck a more understanding tone, recognizing that licensing issues are not something that can be ignored. Others argued that this might all be part of a money-grab by Roblox. Despite the diversity of responses, the general vibe was one of disappointment.

As a sandbox game, "Roblox" is known for its extensive customizability. Major streamers like Brianna Arsement have noted how much freedom to create players have in the game. To lose such an iconic sound — one that has seen extensive use in memes, TikToks, and other media — is certainly sad. And while Roblox isn't sharing details about precisely why the "oof" is disappearing, it seems to go back several years to a dispute with the sound's original creator.

In 2019, game designer and composer Tommy Tallarico discovered that the death sound being used in "Roblox" was a sound he had created for the 2000 action game "Messiah." Now the founder, president, and COO of Intellivision, Tallarico has said that he was happy to allow the continued use of his sound, but that he expected to be paid for its use. This touched off an extended copyright dispute between Roblox and Tallarico.

VentureBeat reported in 2020 that the conflict had been resolved, and that the sound being made available to purchase for 100 Robux (roughly one dollar), with Tallarico presumably getting a share of the profits. Now that the sound has suddenly been removed two years later, some have speculated that the vague "licensing issues" mentioned by Roblox Corporation relate back to this original conflict. If this is the case, it may be hoped that another deal will be reached in the future to bring the sound to "Roblox's" Avatar Shop. Until then, fans will have to mourn the loss of the sound and find a replacement. "Oof," indeed.