Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from what the company describes as "reward‑driven media feeds" in titles that appear in its Roblox Kids and Roblox Select catalogs. The move is part of a broader effort to tighten oversight of game mechanics that could encourage children to engage in passive, repetitive viewing in order to earn in‑game benefits. In an announcement posted to the Roblox Creator Hub, the platform explained that the policy targets any experience that blends a media‑feed style presentation—such as short‑form video clips, image carousels, or story‑like streams—with automatic playback features like autoplay, infinite scrolling, or continuous looping, and then attaches a reward system that either explicitly requires or subtly suggests that players must keep watching to receive those rewards. "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 statement read. This language makes clear that Roblox intends to enforce the rule retroactively, giving developers a window to modify offending mechanics before any removal takes place. The policy was reportedly spurred by the recent shutdown of the pet‑collecting simulation Steal an Egg.
According to multiple sources, Steal an Egg incorporated a mechanic where users would run on a virtual treadmill while a continuous stream of content played in the background. The longer a player stayed on the treadmill and watched the feed, the more in‑game rewards they would accumulate. Critics argued that this design effectively turned the game into a digital treadmill, incentivizing endless consumption of media for the sake of virtual prizes.
While Roblox has not officially confirmed that Steal an Egg was the sole catalyst for the new rule, GamesIndustry.biz reached out for clarification and received a detailed explanation of the policy's scope. Roblox outlined three core criteria that determine whether a game falls under the new restrictions: 1. **Media Feed Presentation** – The experience must show a feed of short‑form videos, images, or story‑like content that resembles social‑media timelines.
2. **Automatic Playback Mechanics** – The game must feature at least one of the following: autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll that pushes new content without user input. 3.
**Reward Dependency** – There must be a reward system that either directly requires continuous viewing or strongly implies that ongoing consumption is necessary to earn the reward. Roblox emphasized that the rule only activates when these three elements intersect.
If a game simply displays a media feed without any reward tied to viewing, or if it offers rewards but does not use autoplay or infinite scroll, it would not be subject to the new constraints. Importantly, the policy does not impact traditional rewarded video advertisements.
Those ads still require an active user click to start, and Roblox enforces strict rate limits on how many ads a single user can view within a given timeframe. Developers whose games are flagged will be given the opportunity to adjust their titles to meet the new standards.
Once the changes are made, Roblox will conduct a re‑review. The company also reassured creators that all other qualifications for inclusion in the Kids and Select catalogs—such as the Engaged Player criteria—remain unchanged and will not be reset as a result of this policy shift.
The timing of this announcement coincides with heightened scrutiny of Roblox by U.S. lawmakers.
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism launched an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox appears to prioritize revenue generation and user engagement metrics over the safety of its youngest audience. The investigation underscores growing concerns about how monetization strategies, including in‑game purchases and ad placements, might expose children to exploitative practices. In a parallel development, Roblox has taken steps to improve transparency around its artificial‑intelligence safety tools. The company recently open‑sourced three AI safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST).
By sharing these models publicly, Roblox aims to foster collaboration with researchers and developers to better detect and mitigate harmful content, reinforcing its commitment to a safer environment for all users. Overall, the new policy reflects Roblox's attempt to balance creative freedom for developers with the responsibility to protect children from potentially manipulative game designs. By targeting the combination of endless media feeds and reward incentives, Roblox hopes to curb practices that could encourage passive, prolonged screen time in exchange for virtual benefits.
As the platform continues to evolve, both creators and regulators will be watching closely to see how effectively these guidelines are enforced and whether they lead to a measurable improvement in child safety across the Roblox ecosystem.