Roblox lays the foundations for a kid-safe “metaverse” — but it needs adults, too

Avatars grow up so fast… Tween-favorite gaming platform Roblox announced it has 43M daily users — double what it had two years ago. Roblox, which went public in March and has a $44B market cap, is like YouTube for user-generated games (think: Lego-like avatars). This year Roblox expects to pay out $500M to 1.3M content creators.

• Wild stat: Last year in the US, 75% of kids ages 9 to 12 played Roblox. The platform has come under scrutiny over safety issues, but has taken steps this year like launching content ratings for games and bolstering parental controls, to promote safety.
• FB-owned Instagram Kids, however, got paused last month after getting backlash for its lack of parental controls. Experts say platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok lag behind Roblox in their efforts to curb bad behavior (though even Roblox isn’t perfect).

Adulting welcome… It’s not just young kids Robloxing. Last month Roblox said that for the first time over half its users were older than 13. Last week it announced several features to appeal to non-tweens and adults:

• Realistic avatars offer alternatives to cartoonish characters, and 13+ gaming filters allow games catered to older players. AI-powered voice-chat features are set to roll out to older users too.
• Limited e-merch, which could appeal to older users interested in fashion and NFTs, will go on sale for Robux, an in-game currency bought with actual bucks.
• Getting meta: Roblox hosts virtual concerts and brand-sponsored meeting spaces, and sees itself as a hub for an immersive “metaverse” — a digital world where kids and adults can “learn, work, play, create, and socialize.”