Roblox introduces new 17+ rated experiences that require verification

Online game platform Roblox has announced that it is introducing the ability for game creators to create experiences catered to a more mature audience, with ID verification required to access the games.

The details:

• Roblox's chief product officer, Manuel Bronstein, revealed in a new blog post that the company is implementing a new 17+ category aimed at older players and will allow for more mature themes and content. Bronstein explained that the platform's goal is to "simulate and even go beyond what's possible in the real world" and to "replicate" a similar dynamic to a family outing to a sports stadium, where, while the main event is accessible to all, other areas are off limits to those who are not yet old enough.
• The new guidelines for the category expand on those established for games rated 13+, allowing for "intense violence, heavy realistic blood, moderate crude humor, romantic themes, unplayable gambling content, and/or the presence of alcohol." The more relaxed rules are intended to allow players to create experiences based on storylines and themes found in TV shows and stand-up comedy acts.
• To access experiences with the new 17+ label, players must first verify themselves with Roblox. The process involves uploading a live selfie alongside a government-issued ID, which the company claims provides "greater confidence in people's age and identity," though new methods of verifying age may be added in the future.
• Roblox also revealed that the decision to add the new category was motivated by an increase in the number of active users between the ages of 17 and 24, with this group accounting for 38% of the site's daily users. "As a natural evolution, we're now allowing creators to make content specifically for this audience," said Roblox.

More gaming news:

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• Images of classic Call of Duty maps Scrapyard and Terminal from the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III have leaked online. Although the legitimacy of the images has not been confirmed, insiders claim to have seen "similar" images earlier in development.