Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that blend media feeds with reward systems, particularly within the Roblox Kids and Select catalogs. The company announced the change on its creator hub, emphasizing that any experience that mixes scrolling or autoplay video content with incentives for continued viewing will no longer be permitted in these child‑focused sections. According to the official post, the new policy targets games that incorporate any of the following elements: a media feed that resembles short‑form video streams, image carousels, or story‑style updates; mechanics such as autoplay, infinite scroll, auto‑scroll, or a continuous replay loop; and a reward structure that either explicitly requires or strongly suggests that players must keep watching the feed to earn in‑game benefits.
When these three components appear together, the game is deemed to fall under the "reward‑driven media feed" category and must be adjusted or it will be removed from the Kids and Select listings. Roblox explained that the enforcement process is already underway. "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.
Developers whose titles are flagged will be given the opportunity to modify the offending features and submit the updated version for re‑evaluation. Roblox also clarified that all other eligibility requirements for inclusion in the Kids and Select catalogs remain unchanged, and the Engaged Player metric will not be reset for games that undergo revision. 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 had been taken offline after it introduced a mechanic where players ran on a virtual treadmill while a continuous stream of content played, rewarding them with in‑game items for watching the feed without interruption.
While Roblox has not directly confirmed that the new rule was drafted in response to that specific incident, the correlation is evident, and GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to the platform for clarification. Roblox further distinguished the policy from its existing approach to rewarded video advertisements. Traditional rewarded ads remain permissible, provided that users actively choose to watch them and the platform enforces limits on how many ads a single user can view in a given period. The crucial difference lies in the passive consumption model targeted by the new rule: content that plays automatically or scrolls endlessly while the player is incentivized to keep watching.
To illustrate how the policy will be applied, Roblox listed three criteria that must be met simultaneously for a game to be considered non‑compliant: 1. **Media Feed Presentation** – The game shows a feed of short videos, images, or story‑like updates that resembles social‑media platforms.
2. **Automatic or Endless Playback** – The experience includes autoplay, infinite scroll, auto‑scroll, or a looping replay that does not require user interaction to continue. 3.
**Reward Dependency** – The game offers in‑game rewards that are contingent upon, or strongly imply the necessity of, continuous viewing of the media feed. Only when all three conditions are present does the policy take effect. If a game features a media feed but does not tie rewards to ongoing consumption, or if it offers rewards without any autoplay or infinite scroll component, it remains permissible under the current guidelines.
The broader context of this move is a growing scrutiny of Roblox's handling of child safety. Last week, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox appears to prioritize revenue generation and engagement metrics over the protection of its younger audience.
The subcommittee's inquiry underscores the heightened regulatory pressure on tech companies that host user‑generated content and operate large, mixed‑age ecosystems. In parallel with the policy update, Roblox also highlighted its commitment to AI safety by open‑sourcing three of its safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST).
By sharing these models, Roblox aims to foster transparency and collaboration in the development of tools that can detect and mitigate harmful content, including those that might be embedded in game mechanics. Overall, the new restriction signals Roblox's attempt to balance creative freedom for developers with the responsibility of providing a safe environment for children.
While some creators may view the rule as an additional hurdle, the platform's emphasis on re‑review and the possibility of redesigning problematic mechanics suggest a willingness to work with developers rather than impose outright bans. As the enforcement process unfolds, both the community of developers and the broader public will be watching closely to see how effectively Roblox can curb potentially exploitative reward systems while still nurturing the vibrant, user‑driven ecosystem that has made it a dominant force in online gaming.