Later this month, a select number of people will know what it feels like to earn a higher salary working a retail job on Roblox than some people actually make in person. Starting on June 24, Ikea is opening a store on the gaming platform and is looking to employ players to staff the store, earning an actual salary.
According to a press release from Ikea, applications for what Roblox is calling The Co-Worker Game are open through June 16. Paid shifts for a total of 10 new employees will be available and employees need to be over the age of 18 living in Ireland or the U.K.
Although it’s not clear what specific qualifications Ikea is looking for in their ideal candidates, the application process apparently includes a questionnaire, requires people to submit a CV or resume, and also allows users to include a video submission. Candidates will be interviewed virtually and then selected employees will then be paid £13.15 per hour to work at the store on Roblox.
“We’re excited to be the first brand to launch paid work on Roblox to showcase how we do careers differently, bringing our unique careers philosophy to life. At IKEA, there is no set route to career progression,” Darren Taylor, Ikea’s Country People and Culture Manager for Ikea UK and Ireland, said in the press release. “Our co-workers are able to change roles, switch departments, and grow in any direction they choose, both in the game or in the real world. There are many ways to learn and grow at IKEA, and that’s what IKEA on Roblox is all about.”
This news about people having the opportunity to work at Ikea on Roblox comes at a time when people have accused the gaming platform of exploiting child labor for digital farming. In February, a group of parents sued Roblox for allegedly exploiting children who make up the vast majority of their users, claiming the company uses “deceptive and unfair conduct” to manipulate young people into spending money on the platform.
At the time, a spokesperson for Robloxdisputed the allegations, telling the local San Francisco news outlet KRON4, “Roblox is committed to providing a positive and safe experience for people of all ages. Respecting ‘The Community’ is one of our core values, and we are proud of the positive difference that building on Roblox, with free tools, has made in the lives of many within our developer community. For the experiences that monetize, the majority are created by developers who are over 18 years old. We also maintain community standards, key features and educational materials to promote safety and civility on our platform for our developer and user communities.”
Representatives for Ikea and Roblox didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
It’s also not clear whether or not The Co-Worker Game will be playable in virtual reality, but the possibility of people being able to work at Ikea and earn a salary while sitting on their couch in a VR headset is more dystopian than people might be ready for. Without having a clear sense of the total number of hours Roblox Ikea employees will be able to work per week, it seems likely that the 10 chosen staffers can still earn higher hourly wages than some Ikea employees do in real life. In the United States, for example, Ikea’s starting wages range from $16 to $18 per hour whereas in London the living wage rates are £11.95, and £10.90 for the rest of the U.K.
Winnie Burke, the head of fashion and retail partnerships at Roblox, told Rolling Stone in a statement that Ikea’s new offering is one example of how brands can impact and connect with Gen Z, who are “spending millions of hours daily” on the platform.
“Brands that connect with our engaged community will stay top of mind for a generation that considers their digital life just as important – sometimes more – than their physical one from everything from their personal style to their career choices,” Burke said.
People have already had some fun with their reactions to the Ikea and Roblox news. Some users on X posted about applying for the position, wasting no time, and others have shared jokes about how chaotic it would be to work a shift at the Roblox Ikea.
Most poignantly though, some people are pointing out the irony in how it’s possible to earn more money working at Roblox‘s Ikea than an in-person job depending on the minimum wage laws where they live.
One user even said they earned less money as a college educated graphic designer than what Ikea is offering through Roblox.
