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 sections of the platform. According to an announcement posted on the company’s creator hub, the new policy targets any experience that mixes a scrolling or autoplaying media feed—such as short‑form videos, image streams, or story‑like formats—with incentives that either require or suggest that continuous viewing is necessary to earn in‑game benefits. The company made it clear that it is already conducting a systematic audit of existing titles to verify compliance. Any game that fails to meet the new standards will be taken down from the Kids and Select collections unless its developers redesign the offending mechanics.
This proactive approach underscores Roblox’s intent to prevent the kind of looped content consumption that can be especially persuasive for children. The policy was prompted by a recent incident involving the pet‑collection simulator Steal an Egg. Reports indicated that the game had been pulled after it was discovered that players were encouraged to run on a virtual treadmill while a never‑ending stream of media played, with the promise of rewards for staying engaged.
While Roblox has not confirmed that the new rule was drafted solely in reaction to that case, the timing suggests a direct link. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for clarification, but the platform’s response focused on the broader criteria rather than naming any specific title. Roblox outlined three core elements that trigger the policy: 1.
**Media Feed Presentation** – The game must show a feed of short‑form videos, images, or story‑like content that resembles a social‑media timeline. 2. **Continuous Playback Mechanics** – The experience must incorporate at least one of the following: autoplay, an endless replay loop, infinite scroll, or automatic scrolling.
3. **Reward Integration** – There must be a reward system that either explicitly requires or subtly implies that the player must keep watching the feed to obtain the incentive. Only when all three conditions are satisfied does the policy apply.
Roblox emphasized that this restriction does not extend to traditional rewarded video advertisements. Those ads still require a deliberate user action to start, and the platform enforces rate limits on how many such ads a player can view within a given timeframe. Developers whose games are flagged will be given the opportunity to modify the offending features. Once adjustments are made, the titles will undergo a re‑review process.
Roblox also reassured creators that meeting the new guidelines will not affect other eligibility requirements for inclusion in Kids and Select, and that the Engaged Player metric—used to gauge a game's popularity—will remain unchanged. The policy rollout arrives amid heightened scrutiny of Roblox’s 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 placing revenue generation and user‑engagement metrics ahead of child protection. The Senate’s inquiry adds political pressure for the company to demonstrate tangible steps toward safeguarding its youngest audience. In a separate move to bolster trust, Roblox recently 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 encourage external research and collaboration on AI‑driven moderation tools, further reinforcing its commitment to a safer environment. Overall, the new “reward‑driven media feed” policy reflects Roblox’s attempt to balance creative freedom with the responsibility of protecting children from potentially exploitative design patterns. By eliminating endless scrolls and autoplay loops that are tied to in‑game rewards, the platform aims to reduce the likelihood that young players become trapped in a cycle of passive consumption for the sake of virtual gains.
The initiative also signals to regulators and parents that Roblox is taking concrete action to address concerns about the platform’s impact on child users, even as broader investigations continue to examine its business practices and safety protocols. Developers are encouraged to review their games carefully, remove any infinite‑scroll or autoplay elements that are coupled with reward incentives, and submit revised versions for approval.
By doing so, they can ensure their titles remain accessible to the Kids and Select audiences, preserving both their reach and compliance with Roblox’s evolving safety standards.