Roblox is removing iconic “oof” sound after copyright issues

Due to licensing issues, Roblox has announced that they will be removing the “oof” audio from the game, with many fans taking to social media to express their disappointment at this news.

The beloved “oof” sound Roblox players — and gamers regardless of what they play — has become a huge meme in the community. It’s dubbed onto montages and gameplay videos in excess, with the groan synonymous with gaming culture over the last few years.

However, it will no longer be a feature in the game it was popularized in. The audio has been removed from the game with this change being confirmed via the official Roblox Twitter account.

The announcement tweet revealed that the removal of the audio is a result of “licensing issues.” The company then went on to add that they have “created a replacement default sound” that went into effect immediately after the “oof” audio was taken down.

Fans were quick to express their disappointment at the removal of what has now become an iconic sound in the gaming space. The audio is trending on Twitter under #SaveTheOOF and Big Oof.

However, Roblox did reveal in the same tweet that they are planning on expanding the Avatar Shop with a “whole range of both old and new sounds in the future.”

Where does the “oof” audio come from?

While Roblox is yet to confirm the exact parameters of the licensing disagreement, the origins of the audio could be a big reason for this decision. The sound was created by Tommy Tallarico who is currently working as the CCO of Intellivision. 

Tallarico created the sound for a 2000 game called Messiah. In 2019, he was made aware of the similarities between this audio and the one that features in Roblox. Instead of suing, Tallarico and Roblox were able to come to an agreement that allowed the audio to stay in the game and also benefited its creator. 

The outcome was that the sound was turned into a microtransaction that could then be licensed by devs. A cut of these sales presumably went to Tallarico as a result.

Given he still owns the rights to the “oof” audio, it is very likely that he is the cause for it now being removed from Roblox. However, neither he nor Roblox has confirmed this.