Roblox Studio head says children making money on its platform is a “gift" and not exploitation
Roblox has been the subject of controversy in recent years, with allegations that the company exploits children to create games on its platform for profit. Roblox Studio head Stefano Corazza has now dismissed these allegations, stating that many creators value the opportunity to earn a living.
The details:
Corazza was asked about Roblox's current bad reputation after claims of exploitation during an interview with Eurogamer at GDC 2024. "I don't know, you can say this for a lot of things, right?" Corazza said. "Like, you can say, 'Okay, we are exploiting, you know, child labour,' right? Or, you can say: we are offering people anywhere in the world the capability to get a job, and even like an income. So, I can be like 15 years old, in Indonesia, living in a slum, and then now, with just a laptop, I can create something, make money and then sustain my life.”
The executive went on to claim that the average Roblox developer is in their 20s, and that the company has hired teenagers who have built successful games, many of whom appear to be satisfied with the current model of earning money through in-game sales."For them, you know, hearing from their experience, they didn't feel like they were exploited,” Corazza stated. “They felt like, 'Oh my god, this was the biggest gift, all of a sudden I could create something, I had millions of users, I made so much money I could retire.'”
In 2021, People Make Games accused Roblox of exploiting its younger audience, as all games are monetized with Robux, the platform's virtual currency. To withdraw Robux, players must reach a minimum of 100,000, which is equivalent to $1,000, though it only pays out $350. It was claimed that this high limit would cause creators to simply spend the Robux on in-game items, allowing the company to generate revenue without paying out to players. Younger players were also encouraged to create games, regardless of the low likelihood of success.
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