Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that blend media feeds with reward systems, particularly in titles that appear in the Roblox Kids and Select collections. The company announced the change on its creator hub, explaining that any game that mixes a scrolling or autoplaying media feed with incentives—whether explicit or implied—for continuous viewing will no longer be permitted in those child‑focused categories.
According to the official statement, the new policy targets a specific combination of features: a media feed that resembles short‑form videos, image streams, or story‑style social posts; a playback mechanic such as autoplay, infinite scroll, autoscroll, or a loop that keeps the content running without user input; and a reward structure that either requires or suggests that players must keep watching the feed to earn in‑game benefits. When all three elements are present, the game is classified as violating the rule and will be taken down from the Kids and Select sections unless the developer redesigns the offending mechanic.
"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 post read. The company added that any titles that are adjusted to meet the new standards will be re‑evaluated, and that other eligibility requirements for inclusion in the curated lists will remain unchanged. In particular, the Engaged Player metric—used to gauge a game's popularity and retention—will not be reset for games that undergo modifications.
The timing of the announcement appears to be linked to recent controversy surrounding the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg. Reports surfaced that the game was pulled from the platform after it introduced a feature that placed players on a virtual treadmill, prompting them to watch a never‑ending stream of content in order to collect virtual eggs or other rewards. This mechanic was seen as a classic example of the type of "reward‑driven media feed" the new policy seeks to eliminate.
While Roblox has not explicitly confirmed that Steal an Egg was the catalyst, GamesIndustry.biz reached out for clarification, and the company's response highlighted the same criteria that were used to assess the Steal an Egg situation. Roblox also made it clear that the rule does not extend to traditional rewarded video advertisements.
Those ads remain permissible as long as users actively choose to watch them, and Roblox enforces rate limits to prevent excessive exposure. The distinction is important because rewarded ads are a common monetization tool for developers, and the platform wants to preserve that revenue stream while still protecting children from more insidious, automatically looping content. In addition to the policy shift, Roblox has been under increased scrutiny from regulators.
Last week, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox may be placing revenue and engagement metrics ahead of child safety considerations. The subcommittee's inquiry adds pressure on Roblox to demonstrate concrete steps toward safeguarding its younger audience.
Amid these developments, 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, the company aims to foster transparency and collaboration with external researchers and developers who are working on AI‑driven moderation and safety solutions. The move is part of a broader effort to address concerns about the platform's content moderation capabilities, especially as the ecosystem continues to grow and diversify. To summarize, the new Roblox policy specifically bans any game that couples a media feed—whether video, image carousel, or story format—with an autoplay or infinite‑scroll mechanic that is tied to a reward system.
Developers whose games fall into this category must either remove the offending elements or risk being excluded from the Kids and Select catalogs, which are the primary gateways for younger players to discover safe, age‑appropriate experiences. The company will continue to review existing titles for compliance and will re‑evaluate any that are updated to meet the guidelines. The broader context of this policy shift reflects ongoing tensions between monetization strategies, user engagement tactics, and the responsibility to protect minors on large, user‑generated platforms.
By drawing a clear line against reward‑driven media loops, Roblox signals its intention to prioritize child safety while still allowing developers to monetize through more transparent and user‑initiated mechanisms such as standard rewarded ads. The outcome of the Senate investigation and the community's response to the open‑sourced AI models will likely shape how Roblox balances these competing interests moving forward.