Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that incorporate what the company calls “reward‑driven media feeds” within its Roblox Kids and Select ecosystems. In a detailed announcement posted to the Roblox Creator Hub, the platform explained that the new policy targets any experience that blends media‑feed elements—such as short‑form video streams, image galleries, or story‑style posts—with mechanics that automatically play content, loop it endlessly, or enable infinite scrolling, and then attach a reward system that either requires or suggests that continuous viewing is necessary to earn in‑game benefits. According to the official statement, Roblox is currently conducting an audit of existing titles to verify compliance with the revised standards.
Developers whose games do not meet the criteria will see their titles removed from the Kids and Select catalogs unless they redesign the offending mechanics to conform to the new rules. The company emphasized that the removal is not punitive but rather a protective measure intended to keep the experience safe and appropriate for children.
The policy change was sparked by public attention surrounding the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg, which was reportedly taken offline after it introduced a feature that encouraged players to run on a virtual treadmill while a continuous feed of content played in the background. Users could earn in‑game currency or other perks by simply watching the endless stream, a design that raised concerns about excessive screen time and the potential for exploitative reward loops.
While Roblox has not confirmed that the new rule was drafted solely in response to that incident, the timing suggests a direct connection. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for clarification, and the platform provided a concise definition of what constitutes a violation under the new policy.
A game will fall under the restriction if it meets all three of the following conditions: 1. **Media Feed Presentation** – The experience displays a feed of short‑form videos, images, or story‑like content that resembles social‑media timelines. 2. **Automatic or Infinite Playback** – The game incorporates at least one of the following features: autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll that keeps the feed moving without user input.
3. **Reward Integration** – There is a reward mechanism—whether explicit or implied—that ties the player’s earnings or progression to the act of continuously watching the media feed. Roblox clarified that the rule applies only when the reward element is combined with an infinite‑scroll or autoplay function that effectively forces or nudges the user to keep consuming the content in order to obtain the reward. Importantly, the policy does not extend to traditional rewarded video advertisements.
Those ads remain permissible because they require an active click from the player to start, and Roblox enforces rate limits that cap how many ads a user can view within a given timeframe. Developers who adjust their games to remove the prohibited mechanics will be invited to submit their titles for re‑evaluation. Roblox assured that any game that successfully aligns with the new guidelines will retain its existing qualifications for inclusion in the Kids and Select sections, and that the “Engaged Player” metric—a key performance indicator used by the platform—will not be reset as a result of the policy shift. The announcement arrives amid broader scrutiny of Roblox’s approach to child safety.
Last week, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism launched an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox appears to prioritize revenue generation and engagement statistics over the wellbeing of its younger audience. The committee’s inquiry underscores growing legislative interest in how online platforms design monetization features that could potentially exploit children. In a parallel move to demonstrate its commitment to safety, Roblox also made three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models publicly available through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST).
By open‑sourcing these models, Roblox hopes to encourage external research and collaboration aimed at improving content moderation and safeguarding users from harmful or inappropriate material. Overall, the new policy signals Roblox’s intent to strike a balance between offering engaging, creative experiences and protecting minors from potentially manipulative reward structures. Developers are encouraged to review their game designs, remove any infinite‑scroll or autoplay reward loops, and resubmit their titles for approval. As the platform continues to evolve, both creators and regulators will be watching closely to see how effectively these measures enhance the safety of the Roblox ecosystem for its youngest players.