The news: Roblox is expanding with TikTok-style videos, bigger creator payouts, and new AI tools—while scaling its ad business. Users can now scroll gameplay clips, react with emojis, and jump directly into experiences, per TechCrunch.
The new feature, Roblox Moments, lets users age 13 and older capture, edit, and share 30-second gameplay clips in a scrollable feed. Users can add music, captions, and reactions, and Roblox says that all content will be moderated for safety.
Later this year, creators will get API tools to surface trending clips, build leaderboards, and drive deeper in-game engagement.
Why it matters: Gen Z prefers vertical video—64% pick TikTok as their top platform, followed by Instagram Reels/Stories (55%) and YouTube Shorts (54%), per Toluna. Roblox is meeting that demand head on.
In June, 32.4 million US visitors averaged 36 minutes per session on Roblox.com, per Comscore. Moments lets Roblox boost that engagement by keeping players on-platform. Instead of turning to Twitch or YouTube to watch others play, users will get an infinite TikTok-style feed of short game clips—and a built-in path to become creators themselves.
Bigger payouts, smarter tools: Roblox paid creators over $1 billion last year and raised its cash-out rate 8.5%, and it expects payouts to grow in 2025. Unlocking creator opportunities within its user base creates a self-sustaining content and ad ecosystem.
To support that growth, Roblox is rolling out AI tools for 3D asset generation, speech APIs, and real-time translation in four languages, alongside performance upgrades like lifelike avatars, anti-cheat systems, and better cross-device fidelity.
From games to media: With 111.8 million daily active users and 61% of users age 13 and over, Roblox has the user base to transform into a Gen Z media channel. The opportunity could be profitable—Morgan Stanley sees Roblox ad revenues hitting $1.2 billion by 2026.
“What makes Roblox unique is the ability for brands to show up authentically inside the most popular games, creating premium, fully custom experiences that meet players where they hang out with friends,” Joe Ferencz, CEO of game developer Gamefam, told Digiday.
Our take: Roblox is morphing from a gaming hub into a short-form media platform—challenging TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. For advertisers, Moments offers a new layer where branded clips can sit alongside gameplay.
Brands should balance paid ads with creator collaborations to preserve authenticity. For example, they could integrate brands and products into game content while sponsoring individual gamers creating short-form content on Roblox.