Top-Earning Branded Roblox Games Making Millions of Dollars
- Stephen Dypiangco
- Apr 7
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 17
SpongeBob, NFL and Skibidi Toilet among top-earners.
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By Stephen Dypiangco
Roblox has become key platform for brands to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences with interactive experiences. Some branded games have exploded in popularity, drawing hundreds of millions (even billions) of visits and ranking among the top earners on Roblox.
According to Roblox, games in the top 10 earned $33M on average in 2024, and top 100 games earned $6M. So there are certainly huge profits for games that are able to crack Roblox monetization.
This article analyzes five of the most successful branded Roblox games (all ranked within the top 100 in terms of monetization according to data from RoMonitor Stats) and explores how their gameplay, user engagement loops, monetization tactics, and brand alignment drive their success. Each of these titles leverages a well-known IP in a way that feels native to Roblox, combining the brand’s appeal with smart game design.
SpongeBob Tower Defense
SpongeBob Tower Defense burst onto Roblox in late 2024 and quickly became one of the platform’s top-performing games, branded or otherwise. This game, developed by Wonder Works Studio in partnership with Paramount (Nickelodeon), takes the familiar tower defense genre and infuses it with the characters and humor of SpongeBob SquarePants. Players team up with SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy and other beloved characters to defend against waves of foes (like jellyfish or Plankton’s robots) across undersea-themed levels.
User Engagement: SpongeBob Tower Defense’s engagement strategy stands on two pillars: optimized game design and aggressive content updates. First, the developers built on an already popular game genre – tower defense – and made it better for Roblox. They analyzed existing Roblox TD games (like Tower Defense Simulator, All Star Tower Defense, etc.) and identified pain points, then “proactively addressed these gaps by implementing numerous quality-of-life features that resolved long-standing frustrations voiced by players.” In practice, this means the game feels less grindy and more user-friendly than some competitors. Smoother gameplay keeps players from dropping out due to annoyance.
Second, and even more importantly, Wonder Works committed to weekly content updates (“substantial updates every week, not just minor content drops” according to the studio CEO). Each update tends to bring new towers (represented by SpongeBob characters or gadgets), new enemy types, additional levels (often new locations from the show), and limited-time events. This consistent cadence of fresh content gives players a reason to log back in frequently; there’s always something new to try or collect each week.
Monetization Strategy: As one of Roblox’s top earners, SpongeBob Tower Defense employs a multi-faceted monetization model carefully integrated with its gameplay. At its core is a typical free-to-play tower defense economy: players can grind to unlock new towers and upgrades, or they can spend Robux to speed up that progress.
One key monetization driver is the sale of premium currency (gems) which can be used to acquire new units (towers) or loot boxes that grant units. The game includes a gacha-like system where some of the strongest or rarest towers (for example, a special SpongeBob variant or a powerful boss character) are obtained through random drops. This encourages dedicated players to spend on multiple tries to get their favorite characters or complete their collection – a strategy that has proven effective in many mobile games and now on Roblox.
Another pillar is the offering of game passes/VIP deals: for instance, a pass that gives increased rewards and chances of pulling rare items. These passes cater to power-users who are willing to invest money for a persistent edge.
Toilet Tower Defense
The game follows a classic tower defense format: players team up to place defensive units (the “towers”) and fend off continuous waves of enemies along a path. Uniquely, the enemies are comical “toilets” of various types (from basic plungers to rocket-propelled seats) drawn from the Skibidi Toilet meme universe. The player’s units are themed as camera-men, speaker-men, TV-men and other characters inspired by the meme’s heroes, each with upgradeable attacks and abilities.
User Engagement: Toilet Tower Defense sustains engagement with a fast content cadence – the developers update the game weekly every Saturday with new content or balance changes. Many updates are themed as “Episodes” or events tied to the ongoing Skibidi Toilet storyline (e.g. an Episode 70 Update added new meme characters). This steady stream of fresh units, maps, and modes keeps the community excited and gives players a reason to return regularly.
Monetization Strategy: The game runs on two main currencies: Coins (the primary earned currency for upgrades and standard crate rolls) and Gems (a premium currency). Players can purchase coin packs or gem packs directly with Robux (for example, 1,000 Coins for 149 Robux, or 1,000 Gems for 1,049 Robux). Coins are used for basic progression (buying normal crates, minor upgrades), whereas Gems are typically used for premium crates or special items. By offering two currencies, the game can implement soft and hard monetization sinks – casual players grind coins, while dedicated spenders might buy gems to accelerate progress or obtain exclusive items.
Gacha Crates & RNG Rewards: Toilet Tower Defense heavily monetizes through its crate/unboxing system. After each match players earn some free currency to open crates, but additional crates (and higher-tier crates) can be bought with Robux or premium currency.
Gamepasses and Boosts: The developers offer a long list of Game Passes (one-time Robux purchases) that grant permanent perks or abilities. These range from gameplay boosters to quality-of-life upgrades. For instance, a “Lucky” Pass (≈199 Robux) doubles the chance of rolling rare units in crates
Toilet Tower Defense includes a robust player trading system – which, while not a direct sale, greatly enhances monetization indirectly. Players can trade units with each other, and there’s even a marketplace board for listing items. Rare units thus acquire real value in the community, and some players will spend Robux (via buying more crates or currency) to obtain trade fodder or coveted units.
NFL Universe Football
NFL Universe Football is the National Football League’s flagship Roblox experience, offering (American) football to Roblox players in an accessible, multiplayer format. The game, run by Voldex, evolved from a popular user-generated game called Ultimate Football into an official NFL-licensed product in late 2024.
In NFL Universe, up to 6v6 players face off in matches, donning the uniforms of real NFL teams and playing in virtual stadiums. The game features all 32 NFL teams with their official logos and gear, so a fan can represent, say, the Dallas Cowboys or New England Patriots, and compete in themed challenges.
User Engagement: Engagement in NFL Universe Football is driven by a mix of competitive play, progression, and seasonal events. At its core, the game appeals to the competitive nature of sports fans – players can jump into quick matches and try to outscore the opposing team with passing, running, and tackling, simplified for Roblox controls. The thrill of representing your favorite team and facing off against others provides a strong reason to keep playing (similar to how fans might regularly play Madden or fantasy football).
The developers have added a progression system where players can improve their avatar’s skills and gear over time – for example, you might start as a rookie with basic stats, and by playing games you earn coins or XP to raise your “Overall” rating, unlock better equipment, and become an elite player. This RPG-like progression loop hooks players into a long-term journey of leveling up, very much akin to a sports career mode. On top of that, NFL Universe capitalizes on the real NFL calendar. During the NFL season, the game runs special events that mirror real-world hype.
Monetization Strategy: The monetization in NFL Universe Football revolves around the sale of in-game currency, cosmetic items, and progression boosts – all carefully themed around NFL football. The game uses a currency that players earn from matches and can spend on gear packs or stat upgrades. Importantly, players can also purchase this currency with Robux, which is a straightforward way the game earns revenue: impatient players will pay to get that next gear pack immediately rather than grind.
Sonic Speed Simulator
Sonic Speed Simulator was the first Roblox game based on a classic AAA character to surpass 1 billion visits, making it the number one branded game of all time on the platform (as ranked by lifetime visits). This experience turns the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise into an open-world racing and collecting game. Players sprint through iconic Sonic zones, collecting rings and artifacts to level up their speed and unlock new areas and characters. The gameplay is fast-paced and easy to pick up – ideal for Roblox’s younger audience – yet it taps into Sonic’s core appeal of high-speed platforming.
User Engagement: Sonic Speed Simulator keeps players engaged through a steady stream of content updates and special events. New Sonic characters, challenges, and even in-game tie-ins with other media have been introduced regularly. For example, the game hosted the first-ever Netflix screening of the Sonic Prime TV episode inside Roblox, turning the game into a virtual event space.
Progression is a key hook: players start slow but gradually become dramatically faster as they collect XP orbs and level up, creating a satisfying progression loop. Time-limited events (e.g. holiday worlds or boss battles) encourage players to log in frequently so they don’t miss out on rewards.
Monetization Strategy: As a top-grossing game (currently #42 in top monetizing experiences on Roblox), Sonic Speed Simulator monetizes primarily through cosmetic items and progression boosts. The game has sold over 2 million Sonic-themed virtual merch items (like avatar costumes, pet Chao, and trails) which players buy to deck out their characters. Game passes and purchasable boosts offer perks such as double XP or higher ring collection rates, allowing paying players to level up faster.
In mid-2024, the developers also introduced a gacha-style “Golden Eggs” system for unlocking characters, which added an element of chance-based monetization and encouraged players to spend Robux for extra spins. While controversial to some fans, this randomized unlock mechanism can drive significant revenue from collectors.
Time-gating is another tactic: many of the best rewards (special character skins or mounts) are earned via time-intensive events, but impatient players can pay to instantly complete stages or purchase event currencies.
Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition
(WCUE) takes a very different gameplay approach – it’s an open-world roleplaying experience based on the Warriors fantasy book series. In this official game (licensed by the book’s publisher), players create their own cat character and live out adventures in the wild cat clans. There are no explicit objectives or battles; instead, the focus is on creative roleplay and social interaction. The game provides rich customization tools and large forest maps for players to explore as their feline avatars.
User Engagement: The engagement strategy for WCUE centers on enabling player creativity and social storytelling. Essentially, it’s a giant roleplaying sandbox. Users can design their cat (selecting fur patterns, eye colors, sizes, accessories, etc.) and then join one of the warrior clans or roam as a lone cat. The character editor is extremely detailed – offering “virtually unlimited” combinations – which encourages players to spend lots of time perfecting their original characters. Once in-game, players make their own fun by roleplaying scenarios (hunting, clan ceremonies, friendships and rivalries) via the chat. This organic, user-created content keeps the world feeling alive and keeps fans returning regularly to continue their cat’s story.
Monetization Strategy: Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition monetizes in a player-friendly, cosmetic-driven way that aligns with its roleplay focus. The game is free to play and does not have any competitive advantages to buy – instead, revenue comes from optional gamepasses that expand your creative possibilities. For example, players can buy gamepasses to unlock extra coat markings, special eye colors (like heterochromia), unique accessories (e.g. collars for “kittypet” cats), or even bigger size options for their cat.
Each gamepass typically costs a few hundred Robux (a few dollars), and there are many available. These purchases are essentially cosmetic upgrades – they don’t alter core gameplay but allow deeper customization and role differentiation, which is highly valued by the roleplaying community.
Comparing Engagement and Monetization Strategies
Across these five top branded games, a few clear patterns emerge in how they drive engagement and monetization on Roblox:
Authentic IP Integration: Each game leverages its brand in a way that feels natural. Sonic Speed Simulator emphasizes speed and classic Sonic elements, Warrior Cats enables story-driven roleplay, SpongeBob TD uses characters as game units, NFL Universe brings real teams and stadiums. This authenticity attracts the core fanbase and lends credibility – players get what they expect (and love) from the brand.
Regular Content Updates & Live Ops: A major key to success is frequent updates. The top games all operate with a Live Operations mindset, releasing new content on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Engagement Loops Built for Retention: The games use well-known free-to-play design loops to retain users. Progression systems (leveling up speed in Sonic, improving skills in NFL) provide long-term goals. Social features and roleplay (roleplaying in Warrior Cats, team play in NFL) leverage Roblox’s strength as a social platform, increasing session lengths and stickiness. Events and limited-time modes (holiday events, Super Bowl tie-ins, etc.) create urgency and give dormant users reasons to return.
Monetization Aligned with Gameplay: The revenue models match the game types. Competitive or grind-heavy games like Sonic, SpongeBob, and NFL monetize through boosters, in-game currency, and item crates – things that help players progress faster or collect special items without purely paywalling content. This can include gacha mechanics (as seen in Sonic and SpongeBob) which, while sometimes controversial, significantly drive spending by tapping into collector motivation. In contrast, socially driven games like Warrior Cats monetize more through cosmetics and personalization – selling items that don’t affect “winning” but let players express themselves (extra cat accessories). This ensures monetization doesn’t break the social experience and feels optional.
The top-earning branded Roblox games succeed by marrying beloved IP with robust game design. A strong brand might draw players initially, but it’s the engaging gameplay and community that keep them there (and willing to spend). For brand executives, these examples show that Roblox can be more than a novelty promotion; it can be a sustained platform for user engagement, brand storytelling, and even direct revenue.
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Stephen Dypiangco is a strategy and marketing consultant , helping brands and developers unlock the power of Roblox.
Seeing how much revenue some Roblox games pull in really puts things into perspective when comparing major platforms. While diving into different game ecosystems, I looked through epic games to understand how players and developers feel about their experience. Reviews cover everything from in-game purchases to support responsiveness, which gives some insight into how Epic handles its massive community. Always interesting to see how platforms stack up behind the scenes.