Roblox is finally cracking down on illicit games as security continues to tighten

I'll forgive you if you don't know what a 'condo' is. In the real world, the term refers to a flat or apartment in a larger building. In Roblox, however, the term has taken on a completely different, darker meaning. Condos here are slang for games that involve sexual themes. These aren't allowed on the platform, but poor moderation from the developer means that plenty of unsavory user-generated content slips past the automated filters. However, a recent ban has shown that this may be about to change.

Roblox is the biggest sandbox game in the world, which is no surprise really, due to it also being the biggest game in the world full stop. But with that power comes responsibility. The platform has been at the center of countless controversies over the years, from how it treats its creators (who are mostly children), to the safety of anyone playing. Just last week it reached a $10 million settlement with the state of Nevada, over child safety issues, one of 140 similar cases it is currently involved in.

According to Roblox RTC, a news source on social media site X, accounts are being deleted for participating in the illegal condos. "You participated in a game that included content we don't allow: wearing revealing outfits, flirting, kissing, sexual words or actions," the moderator's note on the ban reads.

While PCGamesN couldn't verify this ban, it comes in the wake of Roblox's new Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman doubling down on the platform's age verification tools in order to keep minors from accessing inappropriate material.

While Roblox may seem like an innocuous kids game with blocky, Lego-like avatars, some of the best Roblox games are much more complex. People have created whole shooter campaigns on the platform, not to mention the viral sensations like Adopt Me and Steal a Brainrot.

Players are split by the news of the ban. Many celebrate that safety measures and better moderation are in place, but others are worried about being lured into condo games that don't advertise themselves as such in some sort of scam to get their account deleted.

"Roblox is finally doing something good," writes one player on X. Another posted: "Hopefully [Roblox] follow[s] through on [its] plans to nuke blatant sex content." However, other users were concerned. "But what if you were trying to catch people?" asks another player. Best leave that to the professionals now.

Roblox has a long way to go (and a large number of lawsuits to settle) before it could be considered completely safe. However, this is a positive step towards protecting minors from inadvertently accessing sexual content. The question remains, however, if Roblox knows when a player has visited an illicit condo, why not ban the game, too?