Immersive gaming and creation platform Roblox announced two new strategic initiatives to facilitate the creation of novel games, a new wave of games that push the boundaries of genre, gameplay, and visual style to meet the demands of Roblox’s rapidly expanding audience. These experiences will feature expanded genres such as role-play games (RPG), strategy and shooters, and will introduce different gameplay mechanics and a distinct look and feel from classic Roblox games.
New age-checked data reveals a substantial opportunity within the older user cohort. As of 31 January, 45 percent of daily active users (DAUs) have completed the age check, with 27 percent of this group identified as over 18. This demographic represents a significant growth driver; for example, in the U.S., the 18-34 cohort is growing at over 50 percent- more than double the rate of the under-18 user base- and monetises 40 percent higher.
These programs help target the rapidly growing demographic of users over 18. Leveraging new age-checked data, the company is prioritising the creation of high-fidelity novel games across popular genres to serve an increasingly diverse, older, and high-value audience.
“The creativity of Roblox developers has always amazed us,” said Roblox chief creator ecosystem officer Vlad Loktev. “Our vision for Roblox is to be the platform for all ages, and we are calling on ambitious creators with bold ideas to build the next generation of experiences. These new programs provide the mentorship, resources, and discovery support needed to turn those visions into commercial hits.”
The new programs offer tailored support for different stages of development:
- Roblox incubator: A six-month, milestone-driven program designed to help experienced teams refine promising concepts of novel games into polished, scalable, commercially successful games. All program participants will gain access to Roblox subject matter experts who will provide mentorship and support, as well as help participants build an audience for their games.
- Roblox jumpstart: A continuous program designed to help creators who are new to Roblox learn the platform, and help experienced creators explore novel games. Applications for the Jumpstart program open today and will stay open on a rolling basis, and pitches for new games will kick off in person at this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC) and continue on a rolling basis. Similar to the incubator, all jumpstart participants will gain access to Roblox subject matter experts and assistance with on- and off-platform user acquisition programs.
Roblox’s technology roadmap is laser-focused on providing creators with the tools to build the high-fidelity, compelling experiences that the growing older cohort expects. Features such as SLIM (Scalable Lightweight Interactive Models), texture streaming, and server authority allow developers to create visually stunning worlds that scale across devices.
Applications for both the Roblox incubator and Roblox jumpstart programs are open now.
