Roblox, once a relatively small platform for user-created content, has expanded massively in the past few years. Becoming not only a metaverse platform for advertisers and businesses, but also a massive source of success for developers. The game allows developers to create their own games within the overarching platform. Titles such as Adopt Me having grown large and profitable enough to launch their own small studios.
Success such as this can come at a price however, with the aforementioned Adopt Me facing scrutiny from European governments for its use of loot boxes. However, regardless of the potential pitfalls there’s still a lot that can be learned from the platform, a great case example comes from when GameAnalytics sat down with Trihex Studios, developers of Redcliff City, a popular all-ages roleplay game within the Roblox platform.They listed their key points for reaching their 40m+ audience, points which can be applicable to both PC based and mobile-based developers in the space.
Thinking outside the (Ro)b(l)ox
Trihex Studios co founders’ Tae Kim and Eric Park listed four key-points to GameAnalytics. “1. Non-linear games lend themselves to brand deals 2. Smaller teams can strike big on Roblox 3. You need to understand your community 4. Data can give a voice to the silent majority.” The first point of course can be seen in many ‘metaverse’ games such as Fortnite which struck riches with brand deals on their platform. Meanwhile the second, especially in the case of examples such as Adopt Me, can seem a tempting indicator of how lucrative the platform can be.
As for 3, Tae and Eric point out that Roblox, as with other platforms utilising user-generated content, does not necessarily translate all the commonly accepted guidelines of game design to their audience. Redcliff City in particular being aimed at the much younger user base of Roblox, “The age of the audience is key here. Eric and Tae explained that for most players on Roblox – this is their first multiplayer game – if not their first game. Ever. So it needs a different approach to the game design.”
4 is also quite specific to Roblox as a platform. As we’ve often reported on the side, solid metrics such as playtime, CPI and retention are key to other mobile games. However, as is pointed out by Tae and Kim, the truth can be much more nuanced. “For Redcliff City, they track the out-of-the-box metrics, such as retention and session length. But they also setup and track custom design events.”
All of these can be great indicators of how viable it is to create content within another game itself as well as how these can differ from the broader game market. Perhaps there’s something to be drawn for the wider mobile game marketplace? Or perhaps it’s just a great primer for those looking to break into the multiplatform game.
