Ask anyone on the street if they know what Roblox is, and they will most likely know what it is. Whether it’s their kids playing it, their friends hopping on in their free time, or their favorite creators posting gameplays, most people have at least heard of the game. Although it was spoken of so highly only a few years ago, its loyal players have suddenly been voicing more complaints. Many are complaining of the decreasing quality of Roblox, but why?

“There’s so many different games you can play, right? So, if you don’t like zombies, and you can play cooking games, and if you don’t like cooking games, you can play action games,” Hayul Lee (10) said. “There’s so much variety that you can choose from.”

Roblox is known and loved for the vast number of games that it provides. Each game explores unique mechanics and features that get players easily hooked. In recent years, Roblox developers have even been recreating other popular indie games for easier access. This game clearly provides for all of its players and every niche interest. It’s the perfect way to wind down after a long day or bond with friends.

“They were more authentic, their games. I feel like there weren’t restrictions to it, so that made it even more fun to play, and you’re more free,” Vivian Pham (10) said.

There is a stark difference between Roblox games back then and now. Each game was unique and creative. Each developer added their own special touch to each release and update. Players were able to do as they pleased. Now, bans are more common with a sensitive chat system and age restrictions. Many of the old, iconic games have been shut down. Players complain that each new game feels regurgitated and done before. Specifically, with the recent horror games, they all seem to replicate the same vintage indie style and spit out the same ideas. The predictability of all of these games makes the experience less entertaining overall.

“I think the games back then were easy to understand, and they weren’t super overwhelming with a bunch of pop-ups and bright colors and stuff,” Audrey Liu (10) said. “Games now focus on money and appealing to kids instead of being actually engaging and not mind-numbing gameplay.”

To add to the lack of creativity aspect, many of the games now try to play into the younger generations’ sense of humor to gather more players and money. One of the most popular games right now is called “Steal a Brainrot,” which is a reference to the AI-generated memes that went viral a few months ago. Although comedic to many, these games are not good for younger generations’ attention spans. A lot of these tycoon games ask for a hefty amount of money to be able to progress quickly and win, which is unreliable and strips Roblox’s past of being cheap and accessible.

“I would get rid of the Roblox connection ban and let other people interact with each other,” Jessie Lyu (10) said.

In order to try to fix the “Stranger Danger” concern on the app, Roblox has made it a requirement to do a face scan to place players into their respective age groups. Only people within the same age group are able to chat and interact with each other. There is also heavy censorship within the chat boxes that used to be simply tagged out, but now inappropriate messages are retranslated to a nicer, more family-friendly version. Although these are safety precautions, many players are annoyed at the fact that they are not able to enjoy the game the same way with their friends in real life and online.

All points considered, Roblox itself has obviously changed drastically over the years. The games have become less entertaining, the restrictions have grown even stricter, but most importantly, the players are growing up, and new generations of players are taking over the game. The game itself has not necessarily been getting worse, but rather tending to a newer and younger audience. It’s unfortunate for older players, but there are still many ways to have fun in the game, even with all of these recent changes.