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Grow a Garden game breaks record for concurrent users

Grow a Garden - Level 4

An online gardening game has broken the record for the most users being online at the same time. The Grow a Garden game broke the record on the 14th of June with 16.4 million users. This beat the previous 14.3 million set by the game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record a week later with 21.3 million players. It is the most‑played game ever at a single moment. The game's owners said its success is "fuelled by…vibrant social interactions".

In Grow a Garden, players care for a virtual garden. They buy seeds and plant vegetables and flowers. They then sell these to get in-game money. Users can upgrade their garden to get better tools. They can also unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and underwater gardens and magical forests. A behavioural expert on the BBC said Grow a Garden may not lead to a love of gardening. He said that was like saying Super Mario would encourage plumbing.

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Grow a Garden - Level 5

A game about gardening has broken the record for the most users being online at the same time. The game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million users. This surpassed the previous milestone of 14.3 million set by the game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played game ever at a single moment. The game is owned by the game platform Roblox. It said the game's success is "fuelled by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players care for a patch of virtual land. Players buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers. They then harvest their produce to earn in-game money. Users can upgrade their garden to get better tools. They can also unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and areas like underwater gardens and magical forests. A behavioural expert on the BBC said it is unlikely that Grow a Garden will lead to a love of gardening. He said the game would not encourage real-world gardening any more than Super Mario would encourage plumbing.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Grow a Garden - Level 6

A game about gardening has broken the record for the most users being online at the same time. The horticultural-themed game is called Grow a Garden. It first broke the record for simultaneous users on the 14th of June, when there were 16.4 million concurrent users. This surpassed the previous milestone of 14.3 million set by the blockbuster game Fortnite. Grow a Garden then shattered its own record on the 21st of June, with 21.3 million players. This made it the most‑played video game ever at a single moment. The game is owned by the online game platform Roblox. A spokesperson said the game's "global success is fuelled by exceptional user retention and vibrant social interactions".

Grow a Garden is a simulation game in which players tend to a patch of bare, virtual land. Budding gardeners buy seeds, plant vegetables, and grow flowers and herbs. They then harvest their produce to earn in-game currency and resources. Users can also upgrade their garden to obtain better tools and new areas. Good gardeners can level up to unlock rare seeds, exotic crops, and new biomes (like underwater gardens or magical forests). The BBC asked behavioural expert Professor Andrew Przybylski on whether the game could cultivate a love of gardening. He said: "It is unlikely that a game like this will encourage real-world gardening any more than Super Mario encourages plumbing."

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson