With 380MM MAUs, Roblox probably counts more players than the entire AAA gaming ecosystem, is more played than Disney+ is watched, and is starting to rival smaller social networks in scale. But Roblox has yet to profit. How can it become a business comparable to its operating scale?
It’s not a game, really. It’s a platform and store for kids to make free games that other kids play. Every game I’ve tried has been quite basic, nothing as complex as a $10 indie.
The games’ makers can earn Robux by putting micro transactions in their games (click here to pay $3 to be able to jump twice as high only in this game), so inevitably “real” developers moved in and churn out dozens of clones of whatever game happens to be successful with the elementary school kids this month, and they cram them full of MTX. It’s super gross.
“Tycoon” games are massively popular, where you earn x in-game dollars per minute and spend then to build your school or prison or farm or whatever piece by piece. (E.g. 5,000 to build this wall, 2,000 to build the chairs in the room) Kids also love “Obbys” (Obstacle courses). Parkour type games.
It’s not a game, really. It’s a platform and store for kids to make free games that other kids play. Every game I’ve tried has been quite basic, nothing as complex as a $10 indie.
The games’ makers can earn Robux by putting micro transactions in their games (click here to pay $3 to be able to jump twice as high only in this game), so inevitably “real” developers moved in and churn out dozens of clones of whatever game happens to be successful with the elementary school kids this month, and they cram them full of MTX. It’s super gross.
These videos are annoyingly presented, but show a variety of games. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL700D9A1A020A1996
“Tycoon” games are massively popular, where you earn x in-game dollars per minute and spend then to build your school or prison or farm or whatever piece by piece. (E.g. 5,000 to build this wall, 2,000 to build the chairs in the room) Kids also love “Obbys” (Obstacle courses). Parkour type games.
Thank you.