Set your game up for success
Assemble your Roblox dream team
Look for developers with expertise in game design, 3D modeling, scripting, and optimization from within the Roblox community. A seasoned developer can help navigate the technical complexities of Roblox and ensure your vision is executed effectively, leading to a higher quality and more engaging experience.Be aware of popular games & genres
Understanding the preferences of the Roblox user base is essential when selecting a genre. Popular genres on Roblox include role-playing games, simulators, obstacle courses (obbies), and survival games. Choosing a proven genre will increase the likelihood of attracting and retaining players.
Understand your target audience
Play similar games
Itʼs important to have a good knowledge of popular Roblox games, especially those that are similar to yours. Why are users drawn to this game? What keeps them interested?Talk to players
Watch the chat or join a gameʼs Discord server to see what players talk about. Feel free to join in and ask questions yourself.Watch YouTube videos
If you donʼt have the time to get deep into a game, watch videos on YouTube. These are often made by the community and can give you a good idea of what theyʼre interested in.
Define your KPIs
Identify goals
To measure the success of your Roblox game, define your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) before development begins. These metrics (such as engagement, retention, and monetization) should guide your design from the start to ensure your game supports its target goals.Organic social growth KPIs
D1 Retention: Users who return to your game the day after their first session. Average Playtime Per User: The average amount of time that users spend in your game (Average Sessions/Day x Session Length).Sustained growth KPIs
D7 & D30 Retention: Users who return 7 and 30 days after their first session. Conversion: The percentage of users who spend Robux in your game. ARPPU: Average Revenue Per Paying User.
Design for multi-platform play
Playable anywhere
Roblox is played on a variety of devices, including PCs, mobile phones, and consoles. It's essential to design a user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) that works seamlessly across all platforms. The UI should be clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, regardless of the device being used.Massive mobile audience
Given Roblox's large mobile audience, ensure that your game is easily playable on a touchscreen with a well-designed mobile UI. Even for games with a higher percentage of PC players, such as shooters and RPGs, supporting mobile is still a best practice.
Build a strong foundation
Design a killer core loop
The core loop is the fundamental gameplay cycle that keeps players engaged and returning to your game. It should consist of a series of actions and rewards that are satisfying, repeatable, and progressively challenging in order to motivate players to continue interacting with your game.Create a world they'll love
Create a visually appealing and engaging environment that immerses players in your game. The environment should be easy to navigate, fun to explore, and encourage positive interactions. Provide opportunities for players to connect with each other, fostering a sense of community.Think ahead
Plan long-term by designing with updates in mind. Implement reusable systems, such as quest, collection, or event frameworks that can be easily expanded. This approach will reduce development time and costs for future updates and ensure that your game remains fresh and engaging.Create a social, multiplayer game
Friends play together
Users often play together as a group. Try to design your gameplay to support group play wherever possible and make it easy for friends to connect.Make users into content
Designing for social interaction in games is not only good for growing your game, but it also serves as a form of content, taking some of the burden off of your team.Design spaces for interaction
When youʼre building out your level, think about how players can find and interact with each other. If the map is huge, players may be spread too thin.
Get to the fun quickly
Get to the fun quickly
What makes your game fun? What makes it different? Is it worth playing again? Users should be able to answer these questions within the first few minutes of playing your game.Avoid long tutorials
Roblox players like to get to the action immediately and figure it out on their own (or with friends). If you must have a tutorial, keep it short, contextual, and interactive.Donʼt restrict socialization
Allow new players to socialize and learn from each other. Donʼt create barriers like individual server instances that prevent users from playing with friends.
Keep players invested
Give players goals
Keep players motivated by providing a mix of short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals that cater to different playstyles and encourage exploration. This variety will improve player retention and prevent them from losing interest.Add progression to make content last
Progression systems give players a clear path toward their goals and a sense of accomplishment while slowing down their content consumption, giving you time to produce more.Donʼt gate the fun
If you do add progression, make sure there is still enough content available upfront to ensure new users can have fun in their first play session. They should also have a clear understanding of what their next goal is and how to achieve it.
Use F2P monetization practices
Give spenders options
Help maximize your monetization potential by providing a variety of virtual items at different price points. This strategy appeals to both casual spenders and dedicated fans. Consider adding a starter pack containing items that appeal to new players.Design for repeat spend
Why would a player want to return and continue to spend, over time? As opposed to one-time purchases, players will spend much more on repeatable purchases (like consumable items) as thereʼs no limit to how much they can spend.Optimize your storefront
Make your shop as transparent and frictionless as possible, so players understand what to buy, why, and how. Clearly communicate the value and availability of all items.
Build & test your MVP
Define your MVP
What are your core features? If youʼre making a game, what is your core loop? Whatʼs the minimal version of your game that can demonstrate these features?Get feedback early
While it may be tempting to build your fully realized game, starting with MVP will allow you to get feedback and iterate early, resulting in a better final product.Test your MVP
As soon as itʼs ready, get your MVP in playersʼ hands. Their early feedback is the key to identifying issues, finding the fun, and setting your game up for success with real Roblox players. Donʼt wait until itʼs too late to pivot.
Playtest early and often
Small group playtests
Give access to specific users only, which allows you to run small playtests. This option is good for testing whether players understand how to play and find the game fun.Limited-time public test
Release a test game to the public, acquire a small amount of users, then remove the game after a set amount of time (a weekend, week, etc.) This option is great for getting organic growth metrics like D1 Retention and session length.Closed group beta
The game is playable by any user that joins your Group. This option is great for gathering community feedback, long-term retention, and monetization. However, it requires some existing community, and may be more friendly than an open test.Open beta
The game is open to everyone, but has a "Beta" tag in the title. This is very common on Roblox; however, there is no practical difference between open beta and a full release beyond setting player expectations.Keep testing and iterating
Identify soft metrics
Comparing your analytics to your target KPIs will help you figure out what areas need improvement, whether itʼs retention, engagement, or monetization.Gather community insight
Once you know what areas needs work, use your community to find out what is causing those problems.Implement & evaluate
Once you identify a potential cause, make the necessary changes and test again. Go through this cycle until your KPIs are in line with your target.
Get community feedback
Start a community chat server
Be sure to set up your own social chat server, link it to your game, and have moderation measures in place. This is where your dedicated community members will congregate.Talk to your users
Ask your users what they think. What do they like? What donʼt they like? What could make it better? Users will be happy to answer, plus it will make them feel like you care.Watch how users interact
Join your game to observe what users do and what they talk about in the chat. Are they behaving how you would expect? Do they get confused at certain points? Are they interacting with other players?Helpful Channels to Have in Your Community Chat Server
#Rules or #FAQ
Explains how the server works and the expected behavior#Announcements
Post any updates or announcements here#General
Area for general conversation#Bugs
For players to report bugs#Suggestions
For players to submit ideas and feedback#Creative
For players to submit content & fan artBe creator-friendly
Consider streamer needs
Design your game to be streamer-friendly. Ensure players can easily record videos without UI elements getting in the way, and create a game that's engaging for viewers to watch on platforms like YouTube and Twitch.Fuel excitement & speculation
Many games have built-in hidden secrets, backstories, and "surprise and delight" moments that encourage players to share and discuss the content, leading to more social media engagement.Create shareable moments
In your game, is there anything that users would want to share on TikTok or YouTube? Have they created something of their own? Are there achievements or "wow moments" worthy of posting on social media?
Build awareness through social media
Connect with creators
Many Roblox users learn about new games from their favorite YouTubers. Getting one or a few of these influencers to play your game can help get some initial traction.Find the right influencer
Influencers are more likely to cover your game if it fits their audience – so do your research. If engaging with an influencer, be sure to follow the FTC's Endorsement and Testimonial Guides and consult with your own legal counsel for specific advice.Try targeted TikTok ads
TikTok has also proven to be a good way to raise awareness off platform. You can use their targeting tools to surface ads to users that are interested in similar content. Check out TikTokʼs best practices for Roblox developers.
Unlock organic growth
Most users come from Home
Beyond external sources like social media and word of mouth, Home is where a majority of discovery takes place and consists of recommendations that are algorithmically generated to optimize for engagement, long-term retention, and monetization on a per-user basis.Data-defined placement
We take many factors and signals into account when generating recommendations for someone. Beyond user-focused personalization (age, device, location, etc.) we also look at how well a game retains players, how much Robux and time players spend, and how often users return to play again.Spread the word
The best way to maximize how much youʼre surfaced in recommendations is to create a strong game with solid KPIs. Packaging (icon, thumbnail, media, description) can also help improve D1 retention and play through rate.
Use paid UA to build momentum
Use earned Robux
If you do run an ad campaign, try to use Robux youʼve earned rather than purchasing Robux – the exchange rate is higher for purchased Robux.
Keep the content coming
Update to stay relevant
New content updates keep games from becoming stale and give players another reason to come back. They also give content creators new material to cover.A consistent cadence forms habits
Establishing a consistent content cadence can encourage players to check in regularly. If itʼs sustainable for your team, aim for minor content updates every 1–2 weeks and major system updates every 2–3 months.Plan for LiveOps from the start
Itʼs important to plan for liveops ahead of time. What would those updates include? How do you plan on delivering these updates regularly? Scope updates to fit your teamʼs capacity.
Generate buzz with limited-time content
Limited-time events add variety
Running seasonal events keeps your game feeling fresh. Events can include thematic map updates, battle/season passes, holiday content and limited-time rewards.Limited rewards create social value
Time-limited reward items create rarity. The rarer an item is, the more social value it has amongst players, driving more of them to seek out and earn those items.Let players flex
Players will notice when other players have a special item or ability and ask "Howʼd you get that?!" This makes the owner feel special and encourages information sharing, which further increases the value of rare or limited items.
Plan & promote your updates
Plan for the long haul
Develop a roadmap outlining your content plans for the next 6 to 12 months, outlining regular content updates and new systems or major features that keep gameplay fresh. A well-defined roadmap will help you stay organized, manage resources, and communicate your vision to both your development team and your players.Spread the word
Promote your updates across your social media channels and within the game itself. Build anticipation by teasing new features, showcasing behind-the-scenes development, and engaging with your community.Use update announcements
The integrated events system lets you create time-based events for your game. Players can discover your events on the game's detail page and through an event details page, and they can opt into notifications that they'll receive when your event begins.