"Grow a Garden," is a massively popular game within Roblox. For those unaware, Roblox is an app that lets you design and play games for free. Developers of games usually have ways to monetize what they've created in Roblox and this results in Roblox and the developer getting a cut. When a game is a hit and makes money the developer can be happy and Roblox is pleased with its income, too. "Grow a Garden," is completely free if you're willing to take the time to--as the title says--grow your garden. I played it a bit and found it quite charming. My wife has played it a lot and loves it. Either style of playing works as you can dabble in it or grind away at making some amazing plots of land. There is one huge problem, however, that the developers have zero incentive to fix: stealing.
If you are willing to use the Roblox currency of Robux that works in any game, and which you buy portions of with real cash, then, "Grow a Garden," allows you to steal items from other gardens. Someone could spend a week growing an impressive and magical plant only to have some jerk on a public server come and snatch their work. Even if you're on a private server (which are thankfully free) you could have someone pose as a friend for a bit, steal from you, and then block you from trying to get revenge. The developers of, "Grow a Garden," have no reason to fix any of this because, as I mentioned, it costs real money to steal. Whenever someone drops a stack of cash to steal, the developers and Roblox get paid. Either you play completely by yourself or run the risk that at some point you could be a victim of theft. My garden is awful because I don't play a ton and have little risk of a thief, but my wife has had people she thought were her friends steal some impressive items and then vanish with her garden's wares. She loves growing her garden, but hates folks she thought were nice stealing from her.
It isn't like there is a lack of ways, "Grow a Garden," could make money without the constant risk of stealing. It could be as easy as having a monthly subscription for hardcore players that makes it impossible to steal from them. That, or you could let people pay a small fee to, "Steal back," an item once and then that original person can't steal it again ever or for at least 24 hours. A number of options exist that would allow, "Grow a Garden," to make plenty of cash, but the system right now--if anything--encourages stealing to be a big thing so the developers and Roblox can make bank. If you look on social media sites, you will find that at least half the posts regarding, "Grow a Garden," are from players distraught about having something special to them stolen by a jerk. Something has got to give, or eventually a lot of people could quit until only the theives are left--and if there is nobody to steal from, then they'll quit in the end as well. I hope players like Samii, who are actually honest and work at growing their garden, can do so around other folks in a server without constant fear of theft, someday. For now, I'll keep my garden unimpressive so that there is nothing worth stealing!
