Roblox CEO David Baszucki has revealed plans to explore dating-style experiences on the platform, marking a shift from its (generally) younger-user-focused roots toward social uses for adults. In a recent podcast, Baszucki noted that some users find it easier to begin dating in a virtual environment before transitioning offline. He emphasized that this initiative is aimed at ID‑verified users aged 17 and above.
This concept first emerged at Roblox’s Developers Conference in 2023, where Baszucki predicted that “thousands” of adults would forge real-world relationships through Roblox over the next five years. The platform has already introduced age-gated experiences restricted to 17+ users, along with forthcoming tools like avatar creation from images and text, and a “Roblox Connect” video-chat feature – elements intended to support richer interactions that could underpin romantic connections.
While Roblox currently forbids underage romantic content and will often lock accounts if users are found flirting or behaving inappropriately – regardless of age verification – the company plans to restrict dating features to mature users who undergo verification, aiming to lessen in-person dating barriers and combat loneliness among older audiences. However, critics worry this expansion could blur lines between adult and underage spaces, potentially introducing safety risks. Baszucki defends the move, asserting that Roblox’s demographic is already diversifying and the platform has “built safety in from day one.”
While Roblox still has a widespread reputation as a children’s game platform, it has become more of a general hub for interactive experiences, and features a fairly significant adult playerbase due to the variety of different games on the platform. This initiative could position Roblox as an anterlative to platforms like the Metaverse – something it was already favourably compared to many times in the past -if the company successfully addresses concerns around the age restrictions.
