As Roblox pushes for more 'adult' games, it's focusing on those that keep you coming back

Roblox really wants to keep the 18+ audience playing, and it's changing the types of games it recommends to you in an attempt to find those that will keep you hooked for longer. The colossal creation platform is awash with meme games, rapid-fire trends, and experiences that have an immediate hook but without the depth to last for more than a few hours. Now, however, Chief Growth Officer John Ciancutti reveals that a new Roblox algorithm has just been put in place, one designed to appeal to a more adult crowd.

Gamers are always getting older, and that means a generation that has grown up with Roblox is now getting to an age where other games might be taking their attention. The company has just launched new accounts for under-16s, aiming to implement additional safeguards for children and teenagers across its platform, while looming regulation such as the UK's planned social media ban could have a knock-on effect here. But what Roblox is really hoping for is establishing an ecosystem that encourages adults to stick around.

The latest step towards this is aimed at rewarding games that players are "likely to enjoy long term" over those "that win a quick click but don't offer deeper substance," Ciancutti explains. He notes that long-term retention has always been a consideration, but while previous recommendation algorithms used a seven-day view, the new 'Recommended For You' embraces a broader 28-day range.

"We've found in testing that if short-term engagement is overvalued, the system could disproportionately favor games that win attention with exciting thumbnails but don't deliver long-term value for players," Ciancutti continues. Under the new system, core statistics like how many days users come back, and their total playtime, will be at the top of the priority list, along with factors like whether players tend to bounce off after a single session or keep returning.

This follows Roblox's incentive announced in April to reward Roblox creators who design games targeted at players aged 18 and over. Under this program, spending from U.S. players aged 18 and up is now eligible for a 42% higher DevEx rate (the amount that developers earn when converting earned Robux into real money). Simply put, if your game appeals to an adult audience, you'll get a bigger payout.

That, combined with this new algorithm focused on long-term retention, aims to "level the playing field for ambitious, high-quality games that keep players coming back for years," according to Chief Creator Ecosystem Officer Vlad Loktev. Ciancutti adds that the studio will continue to provide creators with analytics "so that they know where their game is strong and where it could improve."

Don't expect the likes of Grow a Garden to suddenly vanish, of course - it's likely the quick and accessible favorites will always have their place. The likes of hardcore PvPvE base-builder Fallen Survival, fighter Dueling Grounds, and action-adventure game Bloodlines could be on the rise, however. Whether that'll be enough to keep adult players returning to Roblox, rather than moving across to traditional games via the likes of Steam, remains to be seen.