Some games and experiences are only available for teens and older.
Roblox launched its age-restricted account tiers globally, following a US rollout in May. These levels are mandatory and users are grouped into one based on their age. The ages for these three tiers vary by territory, but in the United States, Roblox Kids is for kids ages 5 to 8, Roblox Select is for tweens ages 9 to 15, and the traditional Roblox account is for everyone else.
These account types then align with different platform maturity labels, which are applied to games and experiences. Kids accounts only have access to minimal and lightweight experiences, and there are no chat options. Select accounts can also access moderated content, in addition to minimal and light content. These users can also chat with people approved by their parents or guardians.
At 16, teens are transferred to the standard Roblox account with all its features. However, they will still not be able to play games marked as restricted. These are only available to users aged 18 and over.
The platform is also rolling out new parental control features. Parents or guardians can block any game until a child turns 16. Previously, children over 13 could unlock items on their own. On the other hand, parents can approve games outside of a child’s age range on a case-by-case basis.
This all depends on the platform’s age verification technology, which has had some hiccups. Reports earlier this year suggested that some children were easily able to game the system by drawing wrinkles and stubble on their faces and holding up photos of Kurt Cobain. Life always finds a way.
