Above: Frontlines, a realistic (except non-gory) combat experience in Roblox
Roblox is the most popular metaverse platform by far, with up to 250 million monthly active users -- most of whom are kids. (Then again, with about 1 in 4 of the user base 18 or over, according to the company, that still means there's over 50 million adults in Roblox!) The core challenge the platform faces now is maintaining under-age users as they grow up, rather than letting them "graduate" to Fortnite or other, less restrictive online experiences.
Which brings up Roblox's new announcement, enabling experiences that allow usage for players who are 17 and up:
The fastest-growing age group on Roblox is 17-to-24-year-olds and in 2022, 38% of our daily active users were 17 and over. As a natural evolution, we’re now allowing creators to make content specifically for this audience. Only those who have verified that they’re at least 17 will be able to create or consume these experiences...
Now, creators will be able to offer experiences for those 17 and older that feature more mature themes and storylines like in TV shows or stand-up comedy. These experiences may contain more violence, blood, or crude humor.
On the surface this is a smart move. Though when you dive into the details, Roblox's version of "Adult" content is still pretty PG-rated, especially around virtual sex/real romance:
17+ Experiences may contain non-sexual expressions of love and affection, and may reference romantic themes and topics.
However, we prohibit content that depicts sexual activity or seeks real-world romantic relationships, including:
Romantic or flirtatious gestures or communication between users in a romantic context
Pursuing or soliciting romantic relationships online
Engaging in unwanted flirtatious behavior
Engaging in sexually explicit conversations or soliciting sexual material from other Robloxians
Content that depicts, strongly suggests, or explicitly describes sexual acts Nudity Sexually suggestive avatar clothing items
I'm actually kinda flummoxed on what kind of romance-themed experiences would even be allowable with these rules. Roblox the company seems to be keeping these rules maximally broad, so they can decide on specific experience content through a case-by-case basis.
Also, restrictions around political expression remain in place:
We value friendly debate about issues and topics that matter to Robloxians. However, to maintain a civil and respectful environment, we prohibit the discussion or depiction of certain political content, including:
Current candidates running for public office, including their slogans, campaign material, rallies, or events
Political parties, including official party-affiliated organizations
Specific races for elected office
Sitting real-world elected officials
Recent, previously-elected, officials in their official capacity...
So while Joe Biden campaigned for President in Fortnite in 2020, and the 2024 US Presidential race has already launched, Roblox still hasn't enabled that level of openness.
All that to one side, this is a step in the right direction, albeit a cautious one!
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