Roblox ( / ˈ r oʊ . b l ɒ k s / , ROH -bloks ) is an online game platform and game creation system made by Roblox Corporation. It lets users create and play games made by themselves or other users. David Baszucki and Erik Cassel started Roblox in 2004, and it was released to the public in 2006. In February 2025, Roblox reported an average of 85.3 million daily active users. The company says that half of all American children under the age of 16 play on Roblox each month.

The platform has millions of games made by users. These games are created using a version of the programming language Lua and Roblox Studio, which is the platform’s game engine. Roblox is free to play, but players can buy items using virtual currency called "Robux." Developers on the platform can create items that cost Robux. The platform has a large virtual economy based on these items and Robux. Through the "Developer Exchange" program, creators can turn their earned Robux into real money. Roblox has also been used to host virtual concerts, events, and advergames.

Roblox began with a small number of players and as a small company. It grew quickly during the second half of the 2010s. This growth increased even more during the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2020, more than 5,000 games on Roblox had been played over a million times, and more than 20 games had been played over one billion times. While reviews of Roblox have been mostly positive, it has faced criticism for how it handles inappropriate content, such as material that is sexually explicit or promotes extreme political views. It has also been criticized for practices that may take advantage of children and for using microtransactions. Roblox has been restricted or blocked in several countries, including China, Russia, Turkey, and Iraq.

Overview

Roblox is an online platform where users can create and play games. These games, called "experiences," are made by players using Roblox Studio, a special tool for building games. The games on Roblox include many types, such as role-playing games and games about escaping from prison. Roblox is designed for a family-friendly audience and is often described as a game where many players can interact online together (MMO).

Roblox is free to play, but it uses a virtual currency called "Robux," which players can buy with real money. Robux is used to purchase virtual items for characters (called "avatars") or to access games that require payment. Most items on Roblox are created by users, though many were originally made by Roblox itself. Through the "Developer Exchange" program, users who earn Robux can exchange them for real money if they have at least 30,000 Robux. Roblox also offers a monthly subscription called "Roblox Premium," which gives users extra Robux, discounts on purchases, and access to special features.

Roblox has a large virtual economy based on Robux. Users can buy, sell, and create virtual items. Roblox Premium also allows users to trade limited items, which are rare and valuable. These items are priced based on how many are available and how much players want them. Some limited items have been sold for millions of Robux. However, items made by the community cannot be traded, and this feature is only available for official items.

Developers on Roblox can create games or items for sale. Through the Developer Exchange program, users can earn real money from Robux they earn. In 2020, about 345,000 game developers on Roblox earned money through this program. Some users who create avatar items have also earned income, with some making over $100,000 a year from sales.

Roblox has many scams, often involving fake websites or games that promise free Robux. Some users, called "beamers," hack accounts to steal items and sell them for real money. These users use tricks like fake websites to get access to other players' accounts. Roblox allows victims of hacking to restore their items once, but only once per account.

Roblox Studio is the software used to create games on Roblox. Most games use Luau, a type of programming language. Since 2021, Luau has been open source, meaning others can use and improve it. Some parts of Roblox Studio are built using C++. The software includes templates to help users create games more easily.

As of 2020, over 2 million developers used Roblox Studio to create more than 20 million games each year. Most of these developers were children or teenagers. Roblox has many popular games, with some played over a billion times. These games vary in type, and their content determines their age ratings. Games for players over 17 require ID verification to access.

Roblox games are different from many free-to-play games because they focus on quick enjoyment. Tutorials in games can reduce player interest, which is the opposite of what is usually recommended. Many companies use Roblox to create advergames, which promote their products.

Players on Roblox can communicate through in-game chat, direct messages, and voice chat (for users over 13). They can also join "communities" (called "Groups") to discuss topics in a forum-like space. Players can add friends, called "connections," and some users can send unfiltered messages if they are "Trusted Connections." For users aged 18 and older and those aged 13–17, both must prove they know each other in real life through methods like scanning QR codes or sharing phone contacts.

Before communicating, users must complete an age check using ID verification or a video analyzed by software. This ensures players only interact with others in similar age groups. For example, a 12-year-old can only chat with users aged 9 to 15. Age verification is handled by a third-party company called Persona. If a user's age is incorrectly estimated, they can update it by providing their ID.

History and development

Roblox was created in 2004 by co-founders and software engineers David Baszucki and Erik Cassel. Before creating Roblox, both worked for Knowledge Revolution, a company that made educational and physics simulation software. After Knowledge Revolution was bought by MSC Software, Baszucki and Cassel left the company. Baszucki then invested in early social media sites like Friendster. Around this time, Baszucki had an idea for a physics sandbox with creation tools and a social networking feature. He and Cassel began developing Roblox, modeled after his vision, and also created the Roblox Corporation. Early in its development, Roblox was called "DynaBlocks." From the start, the creators planned for Roblox to rely entirely on user-generated content, providing only tools for game development and server hosting later.

Baszucki and Cassel worked alone on the earliest versions of Roblox and created their own games on the platform before the creation tools were finished. These early versions were very basic, with player avatars not yet animated and features only in their simplest forms. They promoted Roblox on some websites, which led to a few dozen players joining as testers. In mid-2006, the first two employees who were not Baszucki or Cassel were hired to help with other features. These employees were Matt Dusek and John Shedletsky, with Dusek focusing on communication tools.

Roblox was officially released on September 1, 2006, and Roblox Studio became available that same year. Early community-made games included paintball games, haunted houses, and model trains. In 2008, Roblox Corporation stopped making its own games to focus on user-created content. In 2007, Roblox introduced the "Builders Club" membership, which allowed users to create more games, sell virtual clothing, remove ads, and earn Robux daily. Later, two additional membership tiers were added: Turbo Builders Club and Outrageous Builders Club. Early in its history, Roblox had two currencies: Robux and Tickets, with Tickets often called "Tix."

Roblox continued to grow from 2010 onward. By August 2011, Roblox had about 6.8 million monthly active users, becoming the second-most popular kids' entertainment site. Its profits increased by 75% in 2011 compared to 2010. In June 2011, the company raised over $4 million in a fundraiser. By January 2014, Roblox had 10 to 12 million monthly players, though many played as "guests" without registered accounts.

At this time, several games had been played millions of times. One of the most successful creators was Luke Weber, known as "Stickmasterluke" on Roblox, whose games combined had over ten million plays. In August 2011, the first Roblox in-person event, the Roblox Rally, was held in San Francisco and attended by over 1,000 people. In 2013, co-founder Erik Cassel passed away from cancer.

Throughout 2012, Roblox developed mobile versions. A simplified iOS version with only social features was released in May, but games could not be played on it. A macOS version was also released. In December 2012, a full iOS version allowing game play was released, though Roblox Studio was not available. After completing iOS development, Roblox worked on Android and console versions. The Android version was released in July 2014. An Xbox One version was announced in September 2015 and released in November 2015. Initially, it only included 15 games chosen by Roblox staff due to rating board standards. Later, a system allowing user-published games was added.

From 2013 to 2014, Roblox updated its tools, adding features like the Developer Exchange program, character animations, Roblox Studio plugins, and Developer Stats. In May 2015, Roblox improved its physics engine to be smoother and more realistic, along with a feature called Smooth Terrain for better graphics.

In the second half of the 2010s, Roblox grew rapidly. By December 2016, it had 30 million monthly active users, increasing to 90 million by April 2019. Growth accelerated during the 2020 pandemic, as lockdowns led millions of children to use Roblox for communication. Between March and April 2020, Roblox reported over 120 million monthly active players, including more than half of U.S. kids under 16. Daily active users in 2020 rose by 85% compared to 2019. By this time, over 20 games had been played more than one billion times, and at least 5,000 had been played over one million times. The most popular game was "Adopt Me!," which had been played over 10 billion times by July 2020 and reached over 1.6 million users at once.

To support its popularity, Roblox introduced "Party Places" for virtual events like concerts. Baszucki shared plans for a 30-year vision to create a fully developed digital identity for users in a virtual environment. In July 2020, he announced goals to build a "metaverse," a network of connected virtual worlds. Features like Developer Events and partnerships with Monstercat were introduced to help creators make more immersive games. In August 2019, Roblox allowed users to upload accessories, later expanding to include more types.

Around this time, Roblox optimized its development process over three years, reaching a point where only a small portion of the platform required updates.

Community and culture

As of February 2025, Roblox has more than 85.3 million people who use the game every day. The company says that about half of all children in the United States under the age of 16 play on Roblox each month. The platform includes both traditional games and areas where players can meet and chat. Some users have used Roblox to show support for causes like the George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter. Others have used the game to participate in activities that were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as religious processions. A sound effect from Roblox, often called the "oof" sound, became popular online. This sound was first used in the video game Messiah (2000) and was replaced in 2022 after a copyright dispute. In July 2025, the sound was added back to Roblox after the company gained the rights to use it. A type of music called "Robloxcore," which is based on hyperpop, became popular after artists shared their songs on the platform in late 2020.

In January 2017, Jazwares started making toy figures based on Roblox. These sets included codes to get virtual items and blind boxes with random figures. In April 2021, Hasbro released Roblox-themed Nerf guns and a version of Monopoly.

Roblox sometimes holds real-life and virtual events. Examples include BloxCon, a convention for players, and virtual events like Easter egg hunts, Halloween activities, and "Giftsplosions." The platform also hosts an annual event called the "Bloxy Awards," which is both an awards ceremony and a fundraiser. The 2020 version of the Bloxy Awards, held online, had 600,000 viewers. In 2022, the event was renamed the "Roblox Innovation Awards." Roblox Corporation also hosts the Roblox Developers Conference, a three-day event in San Francisco for top content creators. Similar events have taken place in cities like London.

Roblox sometimes partners with companies to promote movies, such as Wonder Woman 1984 and Aquaman. The platform has also hosted virtual concerts, including one featuring Lil Nas X, where he introduced his song "Holiday." Other concerts included performances by Zara Larsson and Twenty One Pilots. In October 2021, Roblox partnered with Chipotle Mexican Grill to give away 1 million burritos to the first 30,000 people each day as part of Chipotle's "Halloween Boorito" promotion.

Reception

Roblox has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Common Sense Media gave Roblox a 4 out of 5 star rating, noting the platform offers many games and helps children develop creativity. However, the platform’s lack of central control means game quality varies, and the review advised parents to disable chat features for young users to avoid harmful interactions. Patricia E. Vance of the Family Online Safety Institute encouraged parents to monitor their children’s activity on Roblox but praised the platform for allowing kids to play, socialize, and learn independently. She specifically highlighted Roblox Studio, a tool that helps children create and design games. Trusted Reviews also praised Roblox Studio, stating it is valuable for learning computer science and gaining feedback from a large audience.

Roblox has faced criticism for the types of content found on the platform, including sexual or politically extreme material. Examples include virtual spaces resembling nightclubs and games linked to far-right ideologies, such as those involving Nazi themes or recreations of real-world tragedies like the Christchurch mosque shootings. To address these issues, Roblox employs over 1,600 people to remove harmful content and offers privacy settings and parental controls. A 2020 report by Fast Company found that sexual content was widespread on the platform, comparing efforts to remove it to a game of whack-a-mole. The platform has also faced reports of predators targeting children, with a 2024 Bloomberg Businessweek report blaming weak moderation and reliance on artificial intelligence. In 2025, U.S. police arrested at least six people accused of using Roblox to exploit children. In response, some players formed groups to report harmful content, but Roblox criticized these groups for potentially luring predators. In August 2025, Roblox sent a cease-and-desist letter to a YouTuber involved in such efforts, drawing public backlash.

Roblox’s business model has also been criticized. Professor Jane Juffer of Cornell University accused the platform of encouraging consumerism in children. Critics note that the platform makes it easy for children to spend large amounts of money on in-game purchases without parental knowledge. In 2022, Truth in Advertising filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, accusing Roblox of failing to disclose advertising in games. Roblox later restricted ads for users under 13 but did not apply the same rules to advergames, leading to further criticism. An investigative YouTube channel, People Make Games, accused Roblox of exploiting young developers by promising high earnings but taking large revenue cuts, leaving creators with little income. The channel also compared Roblox’s virtual economy to gambling and criticized the platform for inflating its reported number of active users.

Roblox is blocked or banned in several countries, including Algeria, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, and Turkey. Reasons for these bans vary, such as concerns about gambling, child safety, and content related to the LGBTQ community. In 2025, Kuwait briefly banned Roblox after the platform agreed to implement new safety measures. Some countries, like the Netherlands and Belgium, restricted certain games due to regulations on in-game lootboxes, which give random items to players.

In 2025, Bloomberg News reported that Roblox was under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Later that year, Indonesia requested Roblox to improve its chat filters to remove harmful content. In 2025, Bahrain’s parliament began drafting a bill to ban Roblox due to child safety concerns. Other countries, including Guatemala, Surabaya (Indonesia), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mexico’s Nuevo León state, issued warnings to parents about potential risks on the platform.

In 2017, Roblox reported that its creators earned at least $30 million collectively that year. The iOS version of Roblox reached $1 billion in lifetime revenue in 2019, $1.5 billion in 2020, and $2 billion by October 2020, making it the second-highest revenue-generating iOS app. Individual games on Roblox earned over $10 million, and developers collectively earned about $250 million in 2020. Roblox became the third-highest-grossing game of 2020, with $2.29 billion in revenue, behind Tencent’s PUBG and Honor of Kings.