Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that feature what the company calls "reward‑driven media feeds" within its Roblox Kids and Select catalogs. In a recent announcement posted on the Roblox Creator Hub, the platform explained that the new policy targets any experience that blends media‑type feeds—such as short‑form video clips, image streams, or story‑style social feeds—with mechanics that automatically play, continuously loop, or endlessly scroll content, while also attaching a reward system that either requires or suggests that continuous viewing is necessary to earn in‑game benefits. According to the official statement, Roblox is currently auditing existing titles to ensure they comply with the updated standards.
Any game found to be in violation will be pulled from the Kids and Select sections unless the developer revises 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 company wrote.
The policy change appears to be a direct response to recent controversy surrounding the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg. That title was reportedly taken offline after investigators discovered a feature that encouraged players to remain on a virtual treadmill, watching an endless feed of content, in order to accumulate rewards. While Roblox has not confirmed that Steal an Egg was the sole catalyst for the new rule, GamesIndustry.biz reached out to the platform for clarification, and Roblox’s response suggests the incident highlighted a broader risk that the company now wants to mitigate.
Roblox defines a "reward‑driven media feed" game as one that meets all three of the following criteria: 1. The experience presents a media feed to the player—this could be short‑form videos, a scrolling image gallery, or a story‑like feed reminiscent of popular social‑media apps. 2.
It incorporates at least one of these automatic presentation features: autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll. 3. It ties a reward system to the consumption of that media, either by explicitly requiring the player to watch the feed to earn something or by implying that ongoing viewing is necessary for the reward.
Roblox emphasized that the rule only activates when the reward component is paired with an infinite‑scroll or autoplay function that pushes the user toward relentless consumption of the content. Stand‑alone reward video ads, for instance, are exempt because they must be manually triggered by the player and are subject to strict rate limits that prevent excessive viewing. Developers whose games are flagged will have the opportunity to modify 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 eligibility requirements for inclusion in the Kids and Select categories remain unchanged, and that any progress a game has made toward the "Engaged Player" metric will not be reset as a result of the policy shift. The timing of this announcement coincides with heightened scrutiny of Roblox from U.S.
lawmakers. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism announced an investigation into the platform, alleging that Roblox appears to prioritize revenue generation and engagement statistics over the safety of its younger audience. The subcommittee’s probe underscores the growing pressure on tech companies to demonstrate robust child‑protection measures, especially in environments where in‑app purchases and advertising can create powerful incentives for prolonged usage. In a related move toward greater 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 models publicly, Roblox hopes to foster collaboration with external researchers and developers, improving the detection of harmful content and reinforcing the platform’s overall safety architecture. Overall, the new policy reflects Roblox’s attempt to balance the creative freedom it offers developers with the responsibility to protect children from potentially exploitative design patterns. By curbing the use of endless media feeds tied to rewards, the company aims to reduce the likelihood that young players will become trapped in a loop of passive consumption driven by the promise of virtual incentives. This approach aligns with broader industry trends that call for more ethical game design, especially in spaces where the line between entertainment and monetization can become blurred.
For developers, the key takeaway is clear: if your game includes any form of automatically playing or endlessly scrolling media that is linked to a reward system, you will need to redesign that element if you wish to remain in the Roblox Kids or Select categories. Options might include requiring a deliberate player action to start a video, limiting the length of scrollable feeds, or separating rewards from media consumption entirely. By making these adjustments, creators can continue to reach a younger audience while adhering to Roblox’s heightened standards for child safety. The broader community will be watching closely to see how effectively Roblox enforces the rule and whether it leads to a measurable improvement in user experience for children.
As the platform navigates regulatory pressure and public expectations, its willingness to adapt policies and share safety tools may set a precedent for other interactive entertainment ecosystems facing similar challenges.