Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that blend media‑feed experiences with reward systems, specifically within the Roblox Kids and Roblox Select sections of the platform. The company announced the policy on its creator hub, making clear that any game that mixes elements such as autoplay videos, infinite scrolling feeds, or automatic scrolling with incentives tied to continuous viewing will no longer be permitted in these child‑focused environments unless the developer reworks the offending mechanics.
According to the official statement, Roblox is now actively auditing existing titles to verify compliance. Developers whose games violate the new standards will see their titles removed from the Kids and Select catalogs, and they will be given an opportunity to modify the gameplay loop to meet the requirements before a re‑evaluation takes place. The company emphasized that the rule targets a very specific combination of features: a media feed (for example short‑form video clips, image streams, or story‑style posts) paired with at least one of the following behaviors—autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll—plus a reward system that either explicitly demands or subtly suggests that players must keep watching the feed to earn in‑game benefits. The move follows a high‑profile incident involving the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg.
Reports surfaced that the game had been taken offline after it introduced a mechanic where players would run on a virtual treadmill while a never‑ending stream of content played, and they would receive rewards only if they continued to watch. This design was criticized for pressuring children to consume endless media in order to progress, prompting concerns from parents and child‑safety advocates.
While Roblox has not confirmed that the new policy was drafted solely in reaction to that single case, the timing suggests a direct connection. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for clarification, asking whether the policy was a direct response to the Steal an Egg controversy. Roblox replied that the rule applies broadly to any game that meets the three‑point criteria it outlined: (1) the presence of a media feed displaying short videos, images, or story‑like content; (2) the inclusion of at least one automatic playback or scrolling mechanism; and (3) a reward structure that requires, or appears to require, ongoing consumption of that media to unlock benefits.
The company added that the policy does not extend to traditional rewarded video advertisements, which remain permissible as long as users actively choose to view the ad and the platform enforces limits on how frequently a single user can watch such ads. Developers whose games are affected will be asked to adjust their designs so that rewards are not contingent on continuous media consumption. Once the changes are made, Roblox will conduct a re‑review. The platform also reassured creators that all other qualifications for inclusion in the Kids and Select sections—such as meeting the Engaged Player criteria—will stay intact and will not be reset as a result of the policy update.
The policy shift arrives against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny from lawmakers. Recently, the U.S.
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced an investigation into Roblox, alleging that the company appears to place revenue generation and user‑engagement metrics ahead of child safety considerations. This legislative attention has put additional pressure on Roblox to demonstrate proactive measures that protect its youngest audience. In a parallel effort to boost safety across the platform, Roblox also announced that it has open‑sourced three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST).
By sharing these models publicly, Roblox hopes to foster greater transparency and collaborative improvement of AI‑driven moderation tools, which can help identify and mitigate risky content before it reaches users. Overall, the new restriction signals Roblox’s intent to curb design patterns that encourage endless media consumption in exchange for in‑game rewards, a practice that many experts argue can be exploitative, especially for children.
By defining clear boundaries around autoplay, infinite scroll, and reward coupling, Roblox aims to create a safer, more age‑appropriate environment within its curated Kids and Select catalogs while still allowing developers creative freedom in other parts of the platform. The enforcement of these rules, combined with ongoing legislative oversight and the release of open‑source safety tools, suggests a multifaceted approach to addressing the complex challenges of safeguarding young gamers in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.