Roblox Plans to Attract an Older Demographic

Roblox, a popular gaming platform, is actively working to attract older audiences. Although often compared to a metaverse, Roblox isn’t quite one.

The platform’s recent successes, such as the Alo Sanctuary, show that it’s effectively moving beyond its origins as a simple, educational tool for children. In fact, CEO David Baszucki envisions “bringing a billion people together.”

Roblox’s Growth and Revenue

By the end of 2022, Roblox had reached 59 million daily users—a 19% increase year-on-year, and more than triple its user base in 2019. In 2022, the platform generated $2.2 billion in revenue, with adjusted earnings of $356.5 million.

This growth can be attributed in part to the company’s efforts to attract older users, who typically have more disposable income and therefore contribute to additional revenue streams, such as the planned “immersive ads.”

And while most of the audience includes children and teenagers, Roblox plans to make overhaul and revamp the ad system to make the platform a safer place for these demographics.

Demographic Shifts

Roblox has successfully registered older members at an impressive rate. The 17-to-24-year-old age group has grown by 33% year over year, now accounting for 22% of all users.

Over 55% of users are over 13 years old. The company remains cautious about revealing specific demographic splits, such as the percentage of users over 21 or the extent to which individuals older than 24 make up a significant portion of the user base.

A crucial aspect of Roblox that often goes misunderstood is that it isn’t merely a game—it’s a platform that enables users to create experiences that others can participate in.

While these experiences often involve entertainment, they don’t always fit the traditional definition of a game.

Instead, they may focus on open-ended exploration or mimic real-world events like concerts. To date, users have developed over 30 million unique experiences.

Roblox’s Edge in the Metaverse Market

Although not a complete metaverse accessible through a high-tech headset, Roblox has the advantage of existing on a large scale on devices people already possess.

This has allowed the platform to benefit more than any other major virtual space, such as Microsoft’s Minecraft or Epic Games’ Fortnite, as interest in the metaverse grows among consumers and businesses.

When businesses consider establishing a presence in metaverse-like immersive 3D worlds, Roblox’s inoffensive nature is often cited as a major selling point.

A plethora of options to consider

However, simply launching a project and announcing a brand’s arrival in the metaverse isn’t enough for success on Roblox. According to Christina Wootton, VP of global brand experiences and a nine-year Roblox veteran, brands need to “test ideas” and “monitor how target audiences interact with the brand.” Collaboration in creation is key.

With this in mind, you can expect Roblox to give a handful of updates on a quarterly basis, and here’s their report for March 2023.