Top Takeaways from the Roblox Developers Conference 2025 for Gaming and Brand Professionals

By Stephen Dypiangco

I just got back from Roblox’s annual Developers Conference (RDC), and boy am I tired! It was a great several days jam-packed with loads of announcements, plenty of networking and a bunch of fun events (including my own well-attended Max Power Gaming industry mixer). This year was my third time attending the invite-only conference, which brings together developers, investors, gaming professionals, and brand executives from around the world.

This year’s major announcements, which aligned with the areas I was most-interested in hearing about, reinforced Roblox’s position as a fast-evolving platform at the center of gaming, entertainment, and user-generated content. Here are the seven key takeaways that matter most if you’re coming from traditional gaming or brand marketing.

1. Safety Remains a Critical Question

Safety and civility were front and center at RDC. Roblox emphasized the steps it is taking, such as expanding age estimation to all users, but industry sentiment was split. Some brands are pausing campaigns due to ongoing headlines about online safety, while others acknowledge that no platform is perfect and view Roblox as making serious, proactive efforts. For executives, the takeaway is clear: safety will remain a gating factor for brand and investor participation.

2. Moments Brings TikTok Mechanics to Roblox

Roblox Moments — short-form, shareable gameplay clips — launched during RDC. Players can record, edit, and publish in-game highlights, which others can click to instantly join the featured experience. This move clearly borrows from TikTok, where Roblox content already represented 20% of videos watched this summer. Moments represents a new form of discovery, layering user-generated content on top of a UGC-driven platform, and a path for creators (and eventually brands) to expand reach. Netflix has emerged as an early brand leader on Moments.

3. In-Game AI for Players, Not Developers

Roblox highlighted Cube AI, a system that allows players to generate functional 3D objects in real time. Examples include a player within an experience typing in text to create a shark-truck or a flying carpet that they can then ride. Roblox’s AI tools can also handle speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and real-time voice translation. Notably, Roblox did not discuss AI for developers — likely because many creators are worried about job displacement. The message: AI on Roblox is about empowering players, not replacing creators.

4. Rewarded Video Ads Go Mainstream with Google

Roblox is partnering with Google to power scalable, rewarded video advertising, which I think has a ton of potential. Players can choose to watch ads in exchange for progress or rewards, and early tests suggest this increases both playtime and retention. Developers like the flexibility of placing ads at natural friction points (e.g., after dying in a game). For brands, the Google partnership is significant: it signals that Roblox ad formats are evolving into a measurable, performance-driven channel with analytics to match.

5. IP Licensing Expands — But Still Early

Mattel (Polly Pocket, Matchbox), Lionsgate (Blair Witch, The Strangers), and Kodansha (represented by its CEO on stage) announced new IP joining Roblox’s IP licensing program. This validates Roblox as a legitimate platform for global IP expansion, and it aligns with Roblox's stated goal of capturing 10% of the global gaming market. But it’s still early days. Licensed content has yet to scale meaningfully, and the ecosystem will need time before IP licensing becomes a robust growth driver.

6. DevEx Increase: A Milestone With Limits

Roblox increased its Developer Exchange (DevEx) rate by 8.5%, meaning 100,000 Robux now equals $380 instead of $350. In 2024, developers collectively earned over $1 billion through DevEx, and that number is expected to grow in 2025. This milestone shows the scale of Roblox’s creator economy. But zoom in and the picture is less rosy: only 29K+ creators have ever cashed out through DevEx, and the median creator has earned just $1,440 total. As with most platforms, there’s a strong 80/20 dynamic at play — the power law ensures that the majority of rewards flow disproportionately to the top 20% of participants, while the long tail sees only modest gains.

7. A More Professional Audience Than Ever

RDC 2025 attracted a broader mix of attendees: VCs, private equity firms, and executives from major gaming companies including Xbox, Scopely, Ubisoft, Nexon, Garena, and Riot. This shift signals that Roblox is no longer viewed as a niche kids’ platform. For brands and gaming pros, Roblox has moved firmly into the mainstream of the industry conversation.

Conclusion

RDC 2025 reinforced Roblox’s role as a hybrid of gaming, social, and user-generated content — with TikTok-style discovery, Google-backed advertising, and high-profile IP partners shaping the road ahead. For traditional gaming and brand executives, here's my take: Roblox is professionalizing, globalizing, and opening new avenues for both monetization and cultural relevance.

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