Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from what the company describes as "reward-driven media feeds" within games that appear in its Roblox Kids and Roblox Select catalogs. The move is part of a broader effort to tighten the safety net around children’s digital experiences on the platform, especially after concerns were raised about certain game mechanics that could encourage excessive screen time in exchange for in‑game benefits.
In a detailed announcement posted to the Roblox Creator Hub, the company explained that the new policy targets any game that blends a media‑feed element—such as short‑form video clips, image streams, or story‑style social posts—with automatic playback features, infinite‑scroll designs, or any other mechanism that pushes continuous content consumption. When these visual feeds are coupled with a reward system that either explicitly requires or subtly suggests that players must keep watching to earn virtual items, currency, or other perks, the game will be deemed non‑compliant.
"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 Roblox team wrote.
This language makes clear that developers will have an opportunity to modify their titles, but any failure to do so could result in the removal of the game from the child‑focused sections of the platform. The policy rollout appears to have been triggered by a specific incident involving the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg. According to multiple reports, Steal an Egg was taken offline after it was discovered that the game encouraged users to stand on a virtual treadmill and continuously watch an endless stream of media content in order to earn rewards. The mechanic raised red flags because it effectively incentivized prolonged, passive viewing—a pattern that could be particularly harmful for younger audiences who are still developing healthy digital habits.
GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for comment on whether the new rule was a direct reaction to the Steal an Egg controversy. While Roblox did not confirm a direct causal link, the timing of the announcement suggests a strong correlation.
The company clarified that a game falls under the new restriction only when three specific criteria are met: 1. The game presents a media feed to the player. This could be a carousel of short videos, a scrolling image gallery, or a feed of story‑like posts reminiscent of popular social media platforms.
2. The game incorporates at least one of the following playback mechanisms: autoplay, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or autoscroll. These features are designed to keep the content moving without user interaction. 3.
The game includes a reward system that either requires or strongly implies that the player must keep watching the media feed to receive the reward. This could be in the form of in‑game currency, items, experience points, or any other benefit that is tied to the duration of viewing. Roblox emphasized that the policy "only applies if it features a reward component alongside an infinite scroll or autoplay feature that requires or implies an ongoing consumption of the content to receive the reward." By singling out this combination, the platform aims to prevent developers from creating loops that trap children in a cycle of watching ads or other media purely for the sake of earning game perks.
It is important to note that the new rule does not affect traditional rewarded video advertisements, which are already subject to strict user‑initiation requirements and rate limits. Roblox stated that users must actively click to start a rewarded ad, and the platform enforces caps on how many ads a player can watch within a given timeframe. This distinction ensures that legitimate ad‑based monetization models remain viable while eliminating the more insidious practice of embedding rewards directly into endless media streams.
Developers whose games are found to be non‑compliant will be given the chance to adjust their titles to meet the new standards. Once the changes are made, Roblox will conduct a re‑review to verify compliance.
The company also reassured creators that all other qualifications for inclusion in the Kids and Select catalogs—such as meeting the Engaged Player criteria—will remain unchanged and will not be reset as a result of the policy shift. The policy change arrives amid heightened scrutiny of Roblox from regulators and lawmakers.
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 safety of its younger users. The subcommittee’s concerns echo a growing chorus of voices calling for stronger protections against exploitative design practices that can lead to addictive behavior in children.
In a separate but related development, Roblox has also taken steps to improve its overall safety infrastructure by open‑sourcing three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST). By sharing these models with the broader research community, Roblox hopes to foster collaboration on detecting and mitigating harmful content, thereby reinforcing its commitment to a safer online environment for all players.
Overall, the new policy reflects Roblox’s attempt to balance the creative freedoms of developers with the responsibility to protect its youngest audience from potentially manipulative game mechanics. As the platform continues to evolve, both creators and regulators will be watching closely to see how effectively these safeguards are implemented and whether they succeed in reducing the risk of reward‑driven media loops that could compromise child safety.