Roblox has rolled out a fresh set of guidelines aimed at shielding younger users from games that incorporate what the company describes as "reward‑driven media feeds" within its Roblox Kids and Select categories. The move is part of a broader effort to tighten safety controls and ensure that the experiences available to children do not exploit their attention with endless scrolling or autoplay videos tied to in‑game incentives. According to an announcement posted on Roblox’s Creator Hub, the policy targets any title that blends a media feed—such as short‑form video clips, image carousels, or story‑style social‑media streams—with mechanics that automatically play content, loop it continuously, or allow infinite scrolling.
Crucially, the rule also applies when those visual elements are linked to a reward system, meaning players receive virtual currency, items, or other benefits only if they keep watching the feed. "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.
This statement makes clear that Roblox will not simply delete non‑compliant titles; developers will be given an opportunity to adjust their games to meet the new standards before any removal takes place. The policy appears to have been prompted by a specific incident involving the pet‑collecting simulator Steal an Egg.
That game was reportedly taken offline after it introduced a feature that encouraged users to remain on a virtual treadmill while a continuous stream of content played, rewarding them with in‑game items for each loop they completed. Critics argued that this mechanic effectively forced children to consume an endless feed of media in order to progress, raising concerns about the potential for addictive behavior. GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Roblox for comment, asking whether the new rule was a direct response to the Steal an Egg situation.
While Roblox did not confirm a direct causal link, the timing suggests that the incident helped highlight a gap in the platform’s existing safety framework. Roblox further clarified the exact criteria that trigger the policy. A game will fall under the new restrictions if it meets all three of the following conditions: 1. **Media Feed Presence** – The title presents a feed of short‑form videos, image collections, or story‑like content that resembles a social‑media timeline.
2. **Automatic Playback or Infinite Scrolling** – The game includes at least one of these features: autoplay of videos, a continuous replay loop, infinite scroll, or an auto‑scroll function that moves content without user input. 3. **Reward Tied to Viewing** – The game offers rewards that either require or strongly imply that the player must keep watching the feed to earn them.
In other words, a simple media feed without any reward component, or a reward system that does not depend on ongoing consumption, would not be subject to the new rule. The policy is narrowly focused on preventing the coupling of endless content consumption with tangible in‑game benefits, which could otherwise incentivise children to spend excessive time watching videos or scrolling through images. Roblox emphasized that the regulation does not affect traditional rewarded video advertisements. Those ads still require a deliberate user action to start, and the platform enforces rate limits on how many ads a player can view within a given period.
This distinction is important because it preserves a revenue stream for developers while still protecting young users from passive, reward‑linked media feeds. Developers whose games are flagged will have the chance to modify their titles to comply. Once the necessary changes are made, Roblox will conduct a re‑review.
The company also noted that all other qualifications for inclusion in the Kids and Select categories remain unchanged, and that the "Engaged Player" metric—used to assess a game's popularity and retention—will not be reset as a result of the policy update. The policy rollout arrives amid heightened scrutiny of Roblox by 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 and engagement metrics over child safety.
The legislative probe adds pressure on the company to demonstrate concrete actions that protect its youngest audience. In a separate development, Roblox has contributed three of its artificial‑intelligence safety models to the public domain through the Robust Open Online Safety Tools Model Community (ROOST). By open‑sourcing these models, Roblox aims to foster broader collaboration on AI safety and provide researchers with tools to detect and mitigate harmful content. Overall, the new "reward‑driven media feed" policy reflects Roblox’s ongoing commitment to creating a safer environment for children while balancing the creative freedoms of developers.
By drawing a clear line against mechanics that tie endless media consumption to in‑game rewards, the platform hopes to reduce the risk of addictive loops and ensure that playtime remains enjoyable and appropriate for its younger users.