Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger players from games that incorporate what the company describes as "reward‑driven media feeds" within the Roblox Kids and Roblox Select sections. The move is part of a broader effort to tighten the safety net around content that could encourage children to consume endless streams of video or image feeds in order to earn in‑game benefits.
In an announcement posted to the Roblox Creator Hub, the platform explained that the new policy targets any title that blends media‑feed presentations—such as short‑form video clips, image carousels, or story‑style feeds—with mechanics that automatically play content, loop it indefinitely, or scroll endlessly without user input. Crucially, the rule also applies when a reward system is attached to that continuous viewing, whether the reward is explicit (e.g., coins, items, or experience points) or merely implied by the game’s design. "We are actively reviewing games for compliance with the new policy. Games that do not follow this policy will be removed from Kids and Select unless the game mechanic is redesigned," the Roblox team wrote.
The statement makes clear that any title found to be in violation will be taken down from the child‑focused sections of the catalog unless the developer modifies the gameplay to remove the problematic combination of features. The policy update appears to have been spurred by recent media coverage of the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg. According to reports, the game was taken offline after it was discovered that players could earn rewards by staying on a virtual treadmill while a never‑ending media feed played in the background.
The feed would automatically scroll and replay, effectively creating a loop that incentivized children to watch continuously for the promise of in‑game currency. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for comment on whether the new rule was drafted specifically in reaction to the Steal an Egg incident.
While Roblox did not confirm a direct causal link, it did outline the precise criteria that trigger the policy: - The game must present a media feed to the player, which could be short‑form videos, a scrolling image gallery, or a series of story‑like posts reminiscent of social‑media platforms. - The title must feature at least one of the following mechanics: autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll. - There must be a reward system that either requires or strongly suggests that ongoing consumption of the media feed is necessary to obtain the reward. Roblox emphasized that the rule only comes into play when a reward element is paired with an infinite‑scroll or autoplay function that pressures the user to keep watching.
The company also clarified that conventional rewarded video advertisements are not covered by this policy, because those ads require a deliberate user action to start and are subject to strict rate‑limiting that prevents excessive exposure. Developers whose games are found to be non‑compliant will be given the opportunity to adjust their titles and submit them for a re‑review. Roblox added that all other eligibility requirements for inclusion in the Kids and Select sections remain unchanged, and that the "Engaged Player" metric—a measure of how actively a game’s audience participates—will not be reset as a result of the policy enforcement. The timing of the announcement coincides with heightened scrutiny from U.S.
lawmakers. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism launched an investigation into Roblox, alleging that the platform may be placing revenue generation and engagement statistics ahead of child safety considerations. The subcommittee’s probe adds pressure on Roblox to demonstrate concrete actions that protect its youngest users.
In parallel with the policy shift, Roblox has also taken steps to improve its overall safety infrastructure by open‑sourcing three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST). By making these models publicly available, Roblox hopes to foster broader collaboration on detecting and mitigating harmful content across the platform. Overall, the new restrictions signal Roblox’s intention to curb game designs that blend endless media consumption with monetary incentives, a combination that regulators and child‑advocacy groups have long warned can be exploitative. For developers, the message is clear: if a game’s reward system is tied to an automatically scrolling or looping media feed, they will need to redesign those elements or risk losing access to the lucrative Roblox Kids and Select audiences.
This policy, together with ongoing legislative scrutiny and the company’s open‑source AI safety initiatives, marks a significant step toward reinforcing the safety standards expected of one of the world’s most popular online gaming ecosystems.