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Roblox (/ˈroʊblɒks/ ROH-bloks) is an online game platform and game creation system developed by Roblox Corporation that allows users to program and play games created by themselves or other users. Created by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel in 2004 and released in 2006, the platform hosts user-created games of multiple genres coded in the programming language Lua. Early in Roblox's history, it was relatively small, both as a platform and as a company. Roblox began to grow rapidly in the second half of the 2010s, and this growth was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11]
Roblox is free to play, with in-game purchases available through a virtual currency called Robux. As of August 2020, Roblox had over 164 million monthly active users, including more than half of all American children under 16.[12][13] Although Roblox has received generally positive reviews from critics, it has faced criticism for its moderation, microtransactions, and allegations of exploitative practices toward children.
Overview
Roblox Studio
Main article: Roblox Studio
Two blue polygons with a gap in between them.
The Roblox Studio logo
Roblox allows players to create their own games using its proprietary engine, Roblox Studio, which can then be played by other users.[14] Games, officially referred to as "experiences" on the platform,[15][16] are made with a derivative of the language Lua named Luau.[17] Users are able to create purchasable content through one-time purchases, known as "game passes", as well as microtransactions which can be purchased more than once, known as "developer products" or "products".[18][19] The majority of games produced using Roblox Studio are developed by minors, and a total of 20 million games a year are produced using it.[20][12]
Items and currency
Logo of the virtual currency "Robux"
Roblox allows players to buy, sell, and create virtual items which can be used to decorate their virtual character that serves as their avatar on the platform.[12] Previously, only Roblox administrators had the ability to sell accessories, body parts, gear, and packages under the official Roblox user account,[21] with virtual hats and accessories also being able to be published by a select few users with past experience working with Roblox Corporation.[22][23] This arrangement was in place until the introduction of the UGC Catalog,[24][25] which allowed selected individuals within the Roblox community to create and sell customized User-Generated Content (UGC) avatar items through the UGC Program.[26][27][28] Several individuals design items as a full-time job, with the highest-earning creators making over $100,000 a year off item sales.[29]
