Roblox Launches New Tiered Age-Restricted Account System To Improve Child Safety
On Monday, the popular user-generated gaming platform Roblox announced the rollout of new tiered account types, built specifically to deliver age-appropriate access to in-platform chat and game experiences for children and younger teens.
This policy update builds on a change Roblox rolled out in January, when it made age verification mandatory for all users seeking access to chat features. The same age-check technology used for that rule will now sort users into the new account tiers. As part of the broader changes, any user who has not completed the required age check will only be able to access a curated selection of games rated for younger audiences.
Users are sorted into three core tiers based on their verified age:
Users aged 5–9 get assigned to a Roblox Kids account
Users aged 9–15 are placed in a Roblox Select account
Users aged 16 and older retain access to a standard Roblox account
Only users 18 years of age or older can access the platform’s "Restricted Content" category, which includes experiences featuring graphic violence, romantic themes, strong language, and other mature material.
The new account system will launch globally at the start of June. Roblox notes it will offer a transition period for all existing users to complete the age verification process before permanent restrictions go into effect.
Roblox Kids accounts are limited to games with "Minimal" or "Mild" content ratings, which cover experiences that only include occasional mild violence, light crude humor, and rare mild scary elements. Chat is disabled by default for all users under 9 on this tier, and chat access is only granted if a parent or guardian manually approves specific contacts that their child is allowed to communicate with.
Roblox Select account holders can access all games rated up to the "Moderate" content level, and are permitted to chat with other users in the same general age group. Parents also have the option to manually approve access to specific games that would otherwise be blocked by their child’s default account restrictions — for example, a parent can grant permission for a younger child to play a specific game with their older sibling that is not normally available on the child’s Roblox Kids account.
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All games available on both Roblox Kids and Roblox Select must pass Roblox’s new three-step screening process before being made accessible to younger users.
The first step is developer verification. Before a game can be considered for either younger-focused tier, its developer must meet specific eligibility requirements. If a developer is under 16, they must either complete government ID verification or be linked to a verified parent/guardian Roblox account. All developers must also have two-step verification enabled on their account.
Developers are also required to hold an active Roblox Plus subscription. Roblox Plus, which launched last week, costs $4.99 per month and unlocks exclusive platform perks, discounts on in-game items and avatars, and other benefits. Roblox’s existing subscription plan, Roblox Premium, will stop accepting new sign-ups once Roblox Plus fully launches on April 30.
After clearing developer verification, Roblox conducts a real-time content evaluation of the game with testers aged 16 and older. These testers play the game first and submit feedback and content reports, which Roblox uses to assess the overall experience before it is released to younger users. The platform also leverages its multimodal automated moderation system to check for violations of community guidelines during this step.
In the final step, games must meet specific gameplay and content criteria, including carrying the appropriate content maturity label aligned with the tier they will join, to gain approval.
Roblox’s new child safety changes come in response to a wave of recent lawsuits against the company, including cases filed by the attorneys general of Louisiana and Texas, over alleged failures to protect underage users. The lawsuits were launched after public reports that Roblox exposed young users to serious dangers, including online grooming and unmoderated explicit content.
Roblox Launches New Tiered Age-Restricted Account System To Improve Child Safety
