Roblox Grown Up

In September 2022, Roblox announced plans to introduce 3D advertisements, or immersive advertising, to the platform in 2023. The announcement was part of a series of updates that aim to broaden Roblox’s revenue streams beyond in-game purchases. While this isn’t the first time Roblox has partnered with advertisers — companies like Gucci, Nike, and Gap have all run activations on the platform over the past few years — it brings new opportunities for marketers to the table. 

Ads will be peppered through the in-game worlds as billboards or on the side of buildings, and there will be ‘portals’ that transport players into separate, branded spaces. More opportunities, like branded objects available for purchase in games, may be forthcoming as well. 

For those of us in the kids and family space, it’s notable that Roblox will not allow advertisers to target under 13s, who as of Q4 2022, make up just under half of all daily active users. The policy goes above and beyond current advertising regulation, though in a landscape that increasingly prioritises the safety of children online, they’re taking the forward-looking, responsible stance that we like to see. While kids are undoubtedly savvy at finding loopholes to access the content they want, Roblox’s current age verification process is relatively hard to breach. It requires users to upload a piece of government issued photo ID that they cross reference with a selfie taken at the time of verification. 

The age restriction for ads might do more than just help kids be safe (though that is the prime consideration). Strategic partnerships with brands that are suitably “cool” might help Roblox stay relevant as its core of original users grows up and as it repositions itself as a platform for all ages, changing the perception that Roblox is just “for kids”. 

It’s a perception that is already shifting. At present, Roblox’s fastest growing user base is in their late teens to mid-twenties, and the demo versions of these immersive ads seem targeted at this new audience. For example, a demo video shows a rabbit avatar jumping through a portal into “Vans World” a virtual skatepark created in partnership with apparel brand (and perpetual teen favourite), Vans. 

While the success and scope of their new immersive ads is yet to be tested, we think it offers some exciting potential and is indicative of the direction the platform will take going forward. We’ll be keeping an eye on Roblox in 2023.