Roblox has rolled out a fresh policy aimed at shielding younger users from games that blend media feeds with reward mechanisms, particularly within the Roblox Kids and Select categories. The company announced the change on its creator hub, explaining that any game that mixes a scrolling or autoplaying media feed with incentives—or even the suggestion of incentives—for continuous viewing will be subject to the new restrictions.
According to the official statement, the policy targets games that feature one or more of the following elements: a media feed that resembles short‑form video platforms, image streams, or story‑style updates; playback features such as autoplay, endless loops, infinite scroll, or auto‑scroll; and a reward system that either explicitly requires or subtly implies that players must keep watching the content to earn in‑game benefits. When these three components intersect, the game is deemed to fall under the new rule. "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," Roblox wrote. This language makes clear that developers will have an opportunity to modify their titles to meet the standards, after which the games will be re‑examined for approval. The policy appears to be a direct response to recent controversy surrounding the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg. Reports indicated that the game had been taken offline after it was discovered that players could run on a virtual treadmill while a continuous stream of content played, and they would receive rewards for staying on the treadmill and watching the feed.
The mechanic effectively turned the game into a perpetual media consumption loop, raising concerns about the impact on children’s attention spans and the potential for exploitative monetisation. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for clarification on whether the new rule was drafted specifically because of the Steal an Egg incident. While Roblox has not confirmed a direct causal link, the timing suggests that the incident may have accelerated the platform’s decision to formalise its stance on reward‑driven media feeds. Roblox further detailed the criteria that trigger the policy: - **Media Feed Display**: The game presents a feed of short‑form videos, images, or story‑like content that users can scroll through.
- **Autoplay or Infinite Scroll Mechanics**: The feed either plays automatically, loops endlessly, or scrolls without user input. - **Reward Component**: The game either requires or implies that players must keep watching the feed to earn in‑game items, currency, or other benefits.
If a game incorporates all three of these elements, it will be classified as non‑compliant. Importantly, the policy does not extend to standard rewarded video advertisements. Roblox clarified that ads remain permissible as long as users actively choose to watch them and the platform enforces limits on how many ads a user can view in a given period.
Developers whose games are flagged will be given a chance to adjust their mechanics. Once changes are made, the titles will undergo a re‑review process. Roblox also noted that meeting the new criteria will not affect other qualification metrics required for inclusion in the Kids and Select sections, such as the Engaged Player benchmark, which will remain unchanged.
The policy rollout coincides with heightened scrutiny of Roblox’s child‑safety practices. Last week, the U.S.
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox may be prioritising revenue generation and engagement metrics over the well‑being of its younger audience. This legislative attention adds pressure on the company to demonstrate proactive measures that protect children from potentially manipulative gameplay loops.
In a related move toward transparency and safety, Roblox has also open‑sourced three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST). By sharing these tools with the broader research community, Roblox hopes to foster collaborative development of safeguards that can detect and mitigate harmful content or behaviours across its ecosystem. Overall, the new policy reflects Roblox’s attempt to balance creative freedom for developers with the responsibility to shield children from designs that could encourage excessive screen time or exploitative reward structures.
As the platform continues to grow, ongoing monitoring and adaptation of its guidelines will be essential to ensure that the virtual worlds it hosts remain fun, engaging, and safe for users of all ages.