Roblox has admitted that a lack of breakout hit games contributed to a disappointing quarter, as the company has now lost around $70 billion in market value over the last year.
It has nothing to do with the long-standing grooming/pedophile scandal on the platform, and their ham-fisted legal reaction to it. Or the overly draconian and poorly-implemented age verification checks. Or their push to turn Roblox into a dating platform. Or any number of other stupid strategic decisions they’ve been making.
ETA: Interesting insight from my kid. Fewer new games are making it on to Roblox because of the stupid age restrictions (you have to be she verified to use Studio), and the fact you now have to pay 1,000 Robux to publish a game, and you have to get a certain number of 16+ users to sign in to our like your game. So naturally fewer viral games are appearing, because they’ve narrowed the wider new games spigot.
Older teens probably think this is a little kids game and they want to play “real” games, my assumption. And adults… most of them are annoyed by kids in the lobbies… how would this work with adults and little 7 year old kids… Other than predatory reasons, I don’t think it makes even sense. Maybe they are afraid of the kids growing up and stop playing it, and want to provide something so they don’t leave… no idea.
It could work if there is a clean cutoff with a second app, that is not for children and marketed as such. But man, that would be a nightmare to handle too…
Exactly. It’s a stupid idea on their part. Roblox has it’s niche. But they are now abandoning that niche in the hope of making more money. And their greed is hurting them. A tale as old as time.
Yeah, a lack of viral games. Riiiiiight!
It has nothing to do with the long-standing grooming/pedophile scandal on the platform, and their ham-fisted legal reaction to it. Or the overly draconian and poorly-implemented age verification checks. Or their push to turn Roblox into a dating platform. Or any number of other stupid strategic decisions they’ve been making.
ETA: Interesting insight from my kid. Fewer new games are making it on to Roblox because of the stupid age restrictions (you have to be she verified to use Studio), and the fact you now have to pay 1,000 Robux to publish a game, and you have to get a certain number of 16+ users to sign in to our like your game. So naturally fewer viral games are appearing, because they’ve narrowed the wider new games spigot.
Basically: Roblox hurt itself in its confusion.
Came here to say this!
Roblox has been so bad that even Chris Hansen did an investigation into it.
Really? I never looked into Roblox, as I thought its just for kids.
Yeah, it is. So the company is trying to ‘broaden their market share’ by attempting to appeal to older teens and adults now.
Older teens probably think this is a little kids game and they want to play “real” games, my assumption. And adults… most of them are annoyed by kids in the lobbies… how would this work with adults and little 7 year old kids… Other than predatory reasons, I don’t think it makes even sense. Maybe they are afraid of the kids growing up and stop playing it, and want to provide something so they don’t leave… no idea.
It could work if there is a clean cutoff with a second app, that is not for children and marketed as such. But man, that would be a nightmare to handle too…
Exactly. It’s a stupid idea on their part. Roblox has it’s niche. But they are now abandoning that niche in the hope of making more money. And their greed is hurting them. A tale as old as time.
Where did we see this before: Short term greed kills long term success.