This was a giant 12 months for Roblox. We made nice progress towards our imaginative and prescient of reimagining the way in which folks come collectively by constructing modern applied sciences that allow richer types of communication, creation, and immersion. Throughout Q3* of this 12 months, we noticed 70.2 million every day energetic customers on Roblox, which was up 20 % from the identical interval final 12 months, and customers spent 16 billion hours coming collectively to attach, discover, be taught, play, and create on our platform. As Roblox has grown, our duty to our group is as sturdy as ever, and I’m proud that we’re preserving security on the forefront of all the things we do.
All through 2023, we shipped a broad vary of improvements that helped us make vital progress in the direction of our core objectives:
Enabling 3D immersive communication.
Making Roblox welcoming for everybody, in every single place.
Rising our vibrant economic system so creators of all sizes can launch and scale a enterprise.
Empowering folks to attach, create, and thrive in protected and civil experiences.
Check out some key highlights above, and browse on for extra element on the good work we did collectively:
The Progress of Our Platform
Immersive Communication
Over the past 12 months, we’ve added a variety of recent instruments that make connection and communication on Roblox much more like actual life. We’ve made it easy for folks to carry their family and friends onto Roblox by importing their contact checklist from their telephone or sharing a QR code with a pal. We additionally launched Chat with Voice, and we’ve been working to make sure that all avatar heads can make the most of facial animation. These advances allow new, richer methods for folks to precise themselves identical to they might in the actual world. This 12 months, we additionally started permitting folks to customise pals’ names, together with utilizing their actual names (This autumn 23) in the event that they’re over 17.
In 2023, enhancements we made to our superior real-time communication instruments created new alternatives for our builders. For instance, we launched a know-how that builders can incorporate into their experiences to permit folks to name each other as their avatars for impromptu conversations and gatherings (This autumn 23). This know-how makes use of face monitoring, so folks can truly see one another’s facial expressions and physique language whereas they’re speaking, which actually helps them really feel nearer. The truth is, we launched our personal expertise primarily based on this know-how, referred to as Roblox Join, and I’ve been utilizing it to speak with my household on Roblox, which has simply been superb.
Roblox Join
For this know-how, it’s nonetheless early. Our job is to offer infrastructure and instruments for the group and to see what our builders construct. And I’m at all times astonished by their creativity as an increasing number of turns into potential on the platform.
Expressing Your self With Avatars You Love
We imagine that when somebody can categorical their genuine self with their avatar, they’ll have a greater time on Roblox. So this 12 months, we gave our group new methods to try this. This might imply constructing an avatar that appears just like the particular person does in actual life, or one which resembles a jetpack-wearing ninja, an emo princess, or nearly anything they will dream up. Right here’s how:
We made it potential for creators to make and promote full avatar our bodies and standalone heads (Q3 23). We plan to develop entry to avatar creation and monetization and supply extra and higher methods for folks to speak and categorical themselves on Roblox. That is only the start of those efforts.
We additionally need to present everybody on Roblox with the absolute best know-how for creating avatars, and our new Avatar Setup instrument makes that simpler than ever. And we’re taking avatar personalization to the following stage with the Studio beta of our mesh and picture APIs that may ultimately enable anybody to create a unique avatar in Roblox experiences.
Subsequent 12 months, we’ll double down on growing generative AI instruments that permit folks create avatars primarily based on photographs and textual content prompts. We’re being considerate about moderating the avatars created with AI and the interactions folks have with them, and guaranteeing it’s accomplished with security and civility in thoughts.
On the identical time, we at all times need Roblox to be easy to make use of, so we’re making it simpler than ever for creators to make certain their experiences work for everybody.
We’re growing know-how that permits folks to create distinctive and personalised avatars and equipment (along with our basic avatars). However we wish all trendy avatars to have the ability to entry experiences constructed for traditional avatars with out sacrificing options like layered clothes or facial expressions, so we constructed an adapter to make sure simply that.
We would like all of Roblox to imitate real-world physics, which suggests objects reply to issues like gravity and aerodynamics. Our researchers are growing know-how to ensure that even hair and cloth on avatar outfits reacts to motion, collisions, and wind. They’re additionally engaged on methods for avatars to ultimately mimic the numerous complicated methods people transfer their our bodies.
The Way forward for Creation
All the pieces you see on Roblox was imagined and constructed by our group, and we’re persevering with to evolve our platform to empower an increasing number of of that creativity:
In Q1* of this 12 months we started utilizing generative AI as a method to allow extra folks to create on our platform. We’re already seeing creators being extra productive and needing much less technical talent to get their concepts off the bottom.
With Roblox Assistant, our new conversational AI (This autumn 23), creators can use pure language textual content prompts to rapidly prototype concepts. For instance, somebody may kind “I need to create a recreation set in historical ruins the place the participant spawns by a campfire,” and the system will routinely construct it. This can let creators spend extra time on high-value actions like narrative, recreation play, and expertise design.
Whereas these instruments will make it simpler than ever for present creators to precise their creativity and earn, we need to make it potential for anybody to create on Roblox. Within the subsequent 12 months, we plan to carry a number of the options of Roblox Studio (our 3D content material creation software program) to everybody on our platform. Meaning anybody may begin to create issues like homes, automobiles, and even avatars inside present experiences.
The Progress of Our Group
Creator Connections
Roblox wouldn’t be the place it’s with out our proficient, numerous, and international creator group. This 12 months, we rolled out our new Creator Roadmap to mirror how we’re constructing our platform hand-in-hand with creators. The Roadmap is a spot for us to provide our creators an early take a look at the issues we’re engaged on, collaborate, and get their suggestions.
In 2023, we linked with growth studios from world wide each in particular person and nearly. And at Roblox Builders Convention (RDC) in September, 1000’s of individuals got here collectively for informative and inspirational classes, sales space demos, and networking occasions. RDC continues to be an incredible place for builders, manufacturers, and influencers to be taught from one another and for us to attach with our proficient and rising group.
Roblox Builders Convention 2023
At Join 2023, our convention by creators for creators, greater than 12,000 creators gathered for a collection of networking alternatives and competitions. And with the launch of Creator Occasions, we noticed creators from all around the world come collectively to share information and be taught from each other by internet hosting dozens of on-line workshops.
Group Creations
This was a 12 months of breakout hits on Roblox. The truth is, 38 % of the highest 1,000 experiences on the platform have been created inside the final 12 months.*** A sampling of a number of the thrilling new experiences on Roblox consists of:
Social trend expertise Costume to Impress, which surpassed 40 million visits in simply two months.
Obby However You’re On A Bike, a brand new (wheelie) spin on the well-loved obby (or impediment course) formulation.
Pet Simulator 99, a reset on the Roblox basic that’s aimed toward new audiences.
Drinks On Faucet, an expertise with extra mature content material for ID-verified customers 17 years and older, was visited almost 5 million occasions since 17+ experiences launched****, and customers within the expertise have been ready to make use of sturdy language, the most recent in our communication applied sciences.
On the identical time, our Sport Fund debuted ten experiences that leverage our newest improvements and push the boundaries of what’s potential on Roblox. These releases included Skullbeat by Chop Chop Video games & Kong Orange, Primal Hunt by Phaser Lock Interactive, and—from the Whats up Neighbor universe—Secret Neighbor by Tinybuild.
I’m pleased to say that this progress extends past simply expertise creation. Through the first three quarters of 2023, group creators offered almost 1.6 billion digital trend objects and equipment. In consequence, customers have been continually altering their look, with 165 billion avatar updates over that very same timeframe.
Honoring the Group
In November of this 12 months, we awarded 16 winners on the Roblox Innovation Awards. Nice creators at LSPLASH received each the Builderman Award of Excellence and Greatest New Expertise for Doorways, and Gamer Robotic Inc. received the Folks’s Selection award for Blox Fruits.
We additionally noticed unbelievable work from influencers in our Video Stars program like Tanqr who received Greatest Video Star, Temprist for creating the Greatest Video, and TeraBrite and RussoPlays for delivering one more group smash hit season of RB Battles. This 12 months we welcomed a various forged of greater than 50 new video creators into this system, and we are able to’t wait to see what they proceed to create.
I’m so proud that Roblox is dwelling to one of many world’s most passionate and modern creator communities, and so impressed by their monumental 12 months of creativity and innovation.
The Progress of Our Enterprise
We’ve lengthy talked in regards to the a number of components driving the expansion of Roblox—being a platform for everybody, being obtainable in every single place, rising internationally, and constructing a vibrant economic system that serves our total group. By combining all of these components, the expansion of our platform will get very fascinating in a short time.
Roblox for Everybody
In Q3 2023, greater than 57 % of our customers have been 13 or older and the quickest rising age group on Roblox was 17-24 12 months olds. And we imagine there’s rather more progress to return with this viewers.
This 12 months, we launched experiences for 17+ customers (Q2 23), which suggests creators can incorporate the sorts of mature themes and storylines discovered on TV exhibits or stand-up comedy into what they construct. That is thrilling as a result of manufacturers on Roblox now have entry to a worthwhile, usually hard-to-reach demographic, and since many builders over 17, the group that creates nearly all of our high 1,000 experiences, need to construct for older customers to allow them to categorical themselves extra freely.
Roblox All over the place
For years, folks joined Roblox from a variety of gadgets together with cellular (iOS and Android), desktop, and gaming consoles.
Making Roblox obtainable in every single place and on each platform is a giant focus for us so we will be the place our customers need to be a part of us. This 12 months, we expanded that vary by bringing Roblox to Meta Quest (absolutely obtainable in Q3 23) and PlayStation (This autumn 23). Thousands and thousands extra folks can now entry our platform, which opens up much more alternatives for builders to create and immediately share their experiences. They’ll now simply publish and distribute present experiences to those fashionable international platforms or create distinctive, new experiences for VR or console.
Roblox Across the World
Our customers come from all corners of the globe, and this 12 months, we launched 4 new languages to raised assist folks on Roblox in 180 nations. We additionally made vital progress in markets like Japan, the place we grew DAUs 66 % year-over-year** in Q3 2023. And we’re studying from these efforts. After we develop Roblox in a brand new market, we’re systematic about ensuring the customers there’ll instantly have an incredible expertise, so we zero in on search and discovery, pure language translation high quality, and the efficiency of our infrastructure. As we take into consideration becoming a member of new markets, we deal with:
Computerized AI-powered language translation.
Making certain efficiency and stability on lower-end gadgets.
Content material and our developer group within the new market.
International cost optimizations.
Platform security and civility.
This playbook has been profitable in Japan and India, and it’s guiding our work in different nations. For instance, Bookings in Germany grew 75 % year-over-year** in Q3 2023. We’re additionally excited in regards to the massive alternatives we’re seeing in main markets like Brazil and India.
A Vibrant Economic system
The Roblox economic system is designed to mannequin and mirror real-world dynamics. We constructed it to supply seamless participation for anybody, serve our group, and make it potential for any creator to begin and develop a enterprise. From the start of October 2022 via the tip of September 2023, creators earned $701 million in developer trade charges on Roblox. Some methods we enhanced our economic system this 12 months embrace:
Limiteds (Q2 23): We started letting creators in our UGC Program resolve how scarce they need their objects to be by selecting what number of to provide. We’re additionally making it potential for them to revenue from each resale of their objects. The truth is, a number one digital music model, Monstercat, not too long ago teamed up with group creator @WhoseTrade on six single-edition necklaces. Every offered inside minutes, together with the Ruby Pendant, which offered for roughly $10,000. And Lamborghini teamed up with @Yourius to create a Golden Bullhead Restricted, which offered its three copies instantly for 1.5 million Robux every. And I’m proud to say that almost all resold objects are promoting for greater than what they value initially.
Avatar Our bodies and Heads (Q3 23): As talked about above, UGC Program members can now create and promote full avatar our bodies and standalone heads in Market or inside experiences. We’re excited to supply this extra manner for builders to create and earn, particularly as a result of we imagine it should drive extra self-expression throughout Roblox.
Subscriptions (This autumn 23): Builders can now create subscriptions inside their experiences and set up ongoing relationships with their customers, whereas doubtlessly making their earnings extra predictable. This additionally means folks will be capable of rely on a gentle circulation of recent content material that’s related to them.
Avatar Our bodies and Heads
Monetization and Promoting
For years, Roblox has been a robust monetization engine, however with promoting and, sooner or later, real-world commerce, we’re unlocking substantial potential monetary progress. Right now, solely about 20 % of engagement hours on Roblox are generated by month-to-month distinctive payers. However the potential for promoting, on account of our massive and rising Gen Z viewers, and ultimately, real-world commerce, highlights new alternatives for creators, together with manufacturers, to develop the methods they will earn.
This comes as we’ve made it simpler for manufacturers and builders alike to earn from their experiences by displaying advertisements in them. And we’re decreasing the barrier to entry for people who need to show advertisements with instruments like:
Immersive Advertisements (Q1 23): Eligible builders can earn Robux by having advertisements positioned of their experiences. Advertisers can buy these native advertisements and attain their audiences at scale in an modern and fascinating manner.
Advertisements Supervisor (Q2 23): Helps advertisers create and handle their advertisements with a self-serve instrument.
Testing new formats like video advertisements (This autumn 23), which we imagine will enhance developer payouts and advertiser worth.
Extra Manufacturers and Industries
We’ve got at all times aimed to make Roblox extra worthwhile to extra folks and in 2023, we noticed high manufacturers and expertise participating and creating deep connections with our group. Manufacturers like Adidas, NBA, and e.l.f. Cosmetics all created unbelievable experiences on the platform, artists like Nicki Minaj and Olivia Rodrigo (This autumn 23) launched immersive purchasing experiences, and Karlie Kloss (Q1 23) and Paris Hilton (Q3 2024) launched their fashion-forward experiences with new avatars. Every of those used our highly effective creation instruments to construct group areas for connection and self-expression.
We additionally need to scale model innovation and allow a self-serve, international promoting ecosystem on the platform, so we launched the Roblox Accomplice Program (Q2 23). The Program is concentrated on participating a broad community of platform advocates—from Roblox developer studios to early adopters amongst businesses and third-party sellers—in international schooling and greatest observe sharing for manufacturers.
Experiences and types featured (from left to proper): e.l.f., UP!, Lamborghini Lanzador Lab, PARTY!!! at Olivia’s Place, BLACKPINK THE PALACE, Adidas, Elf [North Pole Workshop], NBA Playgrounds: Basketball Hoops Arcade
This 12 months, we’ve additionally seen expanded and fascinating experiences in industries like trend, music, auto, and journey, work/recruiting, and schooling.
Trend was enormous on Roblox in 2023, with the traces persevering with to blur between type within the bodily world and on our platform. For instance, college students on the Parsons College of Design created and offered couture items on Roblox (Q2 23) with bodily variations of them later displayed at RDC (Q3 23). Gucci additionally launched their fourth expertise on the platform, Gucci Ancora (Q3 23) which transported customers nearly to Milan to discover and work together on the intersection of trend and artwork.
Music fandom, together with Okay-Pop, is rapidly rising, particularly with the arrival of iconic teams like Twice (Q1 23) and BlackPink (Q3 23) to the platform.
And schooling continues to catch the attention of us. We took some massive steps ahead this 12 months with the Roblox Group Fund, together with launching this system’s first set of academic experiences (Q3 23). Amongst them is Robotic Champions (This autumn 23) from FIRST Robotics and Filament Video games, which provides college students an open-ended area to design, construct, and management robots.
In Closing
Behind all of the work everybody at Roblox and in our group did this 12 months is the infrastructure that permits us to scale quickly and effectively, empowering our builders to create with ease and our customers to have probably the most dependable expertise potential.
We’re additionally persevering with to spend money on the technical prowess that may underpin our ongoing progress and success. Particularly, we’ll proceed to spend money on AI. We’ve got entry to distinctive knowledge and insights that may enable us to leverage AI to learn our group and platform, together with:
To speed up creation by anybody.
To make our moderation programs sooner, extra correct, and extra environment friendly.
And to analysis new ways in which AI may make our lives simpler and higher.
That is each our short- and long-term future. Wanting again at 2023, I’m so pleased with all of the work our total staff did to make Roblox such a robust platform, and I couldn’t be extra optimistic about what’s coming subsequent.
