Roblox’s New Publishing and Alternative Requirements for Roblox Kids and Select Will Go Into Effect on May 19 – Here’s What You Need To Know

What to know

• Games aimed at players under 16 must pass an evaluation before they can reach Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts.

• Creators must meet account checks (ID verification, two-factor authentication, and an active Roblox Plus subscription) or use alternatives like a refundable 1,000 Robux publishing fee or specified purchase/subscription histories.

• Newly published under-16 games are initially shown only to 16+ age-checked users and trusted friends while Roblox gathers reports and play signals that determine wider visibility.

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Roblox is introducing an age-based account tiers and a staged evaluation to ensure experiences shown to Kids and Select accounts are age-appropriate. Under the new flow, creators who want their games available to under-16 players must either satisfy stricter account requirements or opt into alternative eligibility paths; otherwise their games remain limited to 16+ audiences and trusted testers until Roblox’s signals verify safety.

Roblox new publishing requirements details

How the evaluation and alternatives work

When a creator publishes a game labeled for under-16 players, Roblox restricts early access to older, age-checked users and any Trusted Friends the developer designates; the platform then collects reports and play signals from that audience to decide whether to serve the experience to Kids and Select accounts.

Eligibility to publish for younger players requires account-level verification and subscription status, but Roblox offers alternatives—most notably a refundable 1,000 Robux fee per game or meeting defined purchase/subscription histories—to accommodate creators who can’t or won’t complete ID verification immediately.

How creators are reacting

Reactions fall broadly into two camps. Many developers and community members welcome the focus on safety and the attempt to reduce harmful or low-quality content reaching children, saying the staged rollout and signal-driven checks are a pragmatic approach. At the same time, significant frustration and concern have surfaced: creators argue the subscription and fee options act like a paywall that disadvantages small teams and hobbyists, and some worry about privacy implications from required verification and the potential for recurring friction when updating games.

What creators are doing now

Some developers are paying the refundable fee or maintaining Plus subscriptions so their games keep serving under-16 players, while others are shifting focus to 16+ experiences to avoid the new gates. Many teams are also tightening moderation, reducing free-form user content, and setting clearer maturity labels to speed approval. Active discussions on the developer forum, AMAs, and social channels show creators both mobilizing feedback and seeking clarifications from Roblox.

Practical steps for smoother publishing

• Complete required account security steps or choose a listed alternative so your publishing plan matches available resources.

• Publish first to 16+ and Trusted Friends to collect the play and report signals Roblox uses for evaluation.

• Remove or gate risky free-form features, fill out maturity questionnaires accurately, and respond quickly to reports to improve approval chances.

Developer benefits and risks

Complying opens access to Kids and Select audiences and reduces the chance of future friction once your game consistently meets signals, but the short-term costs and privacy questions have made some creators wary. Roblox has tried to ease transition with AMAs and temporary incentives for qualifying creators, and the company appears to be monitoring feedback that could lead to refinements.

Notes about testing and signals

The staged evaluation is applied globally: regardless of geography, new under-16 publishes are shown first to 16+ age-checked users and Trusted Friends so Roblox can aggregate reports and play behavior before wider exposure to Kids and Select accounts.

How to collect meaningful review signals

Step 1

Publish with visibility set to 16+ and invite Trusted Friends and willing 16+ testers.

Step 2

Give testers clear tasks and reporting instructions so their play and any report activity provide useful signals for evaluation.

Step 3

Monitor analytics and moderation tools, act on flagged issues quickly, and iterate to remove or mitigate reasons for reports.

Step 4

Check your developer dashboard for eligibility status and keep your account verification/subscription active if you rely on those routes.

Rewards for complying

Verify your account and enable 2FA or plan for the refundable fee/subscription alternative; set accurate maturity labels; publish to 16+ with trusted testers to gather evaluation signals; and participate in official dev channels to stay updated and influence future changes.