Roblox continues to go from strength to strength, currently ranking number 1 adventure app in App Store. Back in 2017 we looked at Roblox when it was at 56 million monthly active users (MAUs), fast forward to 2023 the platform currently has 65.5 million daily active users (DAUs) and 214 million MAUs. That equates to growth of almost 4 times the amount in 6 years.
Kids just can’t get enough of it! Roblox has a 11 out of 10 child nagging rating and half of all users worldwide are under the age of 13 . Roblox works by giving players access to the ‘imagination platform’ which they can choose user-generated games or create their own. Anyone can create and publish games and there are over 40 million games on the platform. It also has its own in-game currency Robux where players can also buy, sell, and trade avatar items they have created to other players. Hundreds of players can be playing the same game as your child at any given time, even if chat function is deactivated your child will still be able to see other players.
Categories of Games
Roblox games are categorised so that players can search for the type of games they are interested in. The current available categories on Roblox are Adventure, Building, Comedy, Fighting, First Person Shooters (FPS), Horror, Medieval, Military, Naval, Role-Playing (RPG), Sci-=Fi, Sports, Town and City, and Western. As this is a user-generated gaming platform categories have and can change but this gives you an idea of the sorts of games you can find, and it is clear even from the categories that content may not always be suitable for children.
Roblox Games that are inappropriate for children
1. Survive the Killers: You can kill or be killed
Players are given weapons with the aim of the game is to kill the evil serial killer otherwise you will be murdered. Children’s characters (e.g., Peppa Pig, SpongeBob) are often used in this game.
Content warning: Explicit Violence and Gore
2. Fashion Famous: Looks aren’t everything
Players are invited to create an outfit based on the theme given and present it on the runway. Other player can then rate them out of five stars with the goal to have the highest star rating. Sounds like a game of dress ups online however players have not only the ability to change their outfits but also physical features.
Content warning: Body image, self-esteem, valuing image
3. Club Iris: Club experience for youngsters (Similarly Dance Club: Boys and Girls Dance Club)
Club Iris is one of the most popular games on Roblox. The game allows children to dance and date other players in a nightclub setting. Something they can’t do in real life as they are too young. They can also access hotel rooms and beds in the game where inappropriate ‘dances’ can be performed.
Content warning: Highly sexual nature
4. Obby Games: Super Big Parkour Obby
Obby Games are another name of Obstacle Games where players have to escape through the obstacles. Mostly harmless but are often littered with Poppy Playtime inspired games which can be scary for young children
Content warning: Scary and inappropriate adult themes
5. Vibe Place
Vibe place is a chill out space style game where players can chat, chill out and listen to music. As it is a primarily chat style game it very quickly becomes apparent that the topics and actions aren’t child appropriate.
Content warning: Sexually charged conversation, inappropriate touching between avatars.
This is not an exhaustive list, parents would also be wise to look out for Mortum Metallum, The Horror Mansion. Also beware of Dirty Place & Shower Simulator games, Roblox banned the originals but there are many spin off versions that are unsuitable for children. Condo Games are something else to watch out for, which are games that are sexually explicit and bypass Roblox moderation. With such a high volume of games on the platform and the constant additions of games it is impossible to identify all inappropriate games, so it makes constant monitoring an important consideration for parents.
The Verdict – Is it safe for children?
When it comes to Roblox my advice remains the same, you can try and ban them from the app, but it can encourage them to choose a much more dangerous work around through Discord (often to bypass the restriction of the chat function or Roblox’s moderation tools players will utilise Discord the chat app to converse. Discord is a public chat room and is known for it high prevalence of predator activity) or even view through YouTube. Before saying yes to Roblox the first port of call is having a thorough read of the Parent and Caregiver Guide to help decide whether the app is suitable for your family. Secondly, I recommend looking at app reviews by eSafety who has some great links to safety features within the app and Common Sense Media which has a professional review plus thousands of reviews from parents and children. If you choose to give your child/children access to the app we always recommend that you enable all the safety features available, turn off the chat function and make sure they are monitored during play.
