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In the game, players are able to design their own games within the platform, and play other users creations.<ref name="cnet">{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20070969-250/roblox-a-virtual-world-of-lego-like-blocks/ |title=Roblox: A virtual world of Lego-like blocks |publisher=[[CNET]] |accessdate=February 29, 2012|date = June 14, 2011|last = Needleman|first = Rafe}}</ref>
As of 2016, ''Roblox'' has 30 million active monthly players.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/20/kid-gaming-company-roblox-builds-a-following/|title = Roblox: Is unusual virtual playground the next Minecraft?|date = October 20, 2016|publisher = The Mercury News|last = Wolverton|first = Troy}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2016/12/20/at-10-roblox-surpasses-30-million-monthly-users-and-300-million-hours-of-engagement/|title = At 10, Roblox surpasses 30 million monthly users and 300 million hours of engagement|date = December 20, 2016|publisher = Venture Beat|last = Takahashi|first = Dean}}</ref>
== Gameplay ==
In December 2011, ''Roblox'' also held their first ''Hack Week'', an annual event where ''Roblox'' developers work on innovative outside-the-box ideas for new developments to present to the company.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hackathons move beyond Silicon Valley|url=http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Hackathons-move-beyond-Silicon-Valley-4085718.php|publisher=SFGate|accessdate=February 9, 2017|date = December 2, 2012|last = Milian|first = Mark}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lua language helps kids create software|url=http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Lua-language-helps-kids-create-software-3828132.php|publisher=SFGate|accessdate=February 9, 2017|date = August 31, 2012|last = Chaykowski|first = Kathleen}}</ref>
On December 11, 2012, ''Roblox'' released an [[iOS]] version of the game.<ref>{{cite news|url = httphttps://venturebeat.com/2012/12/12/roblox-mobile-ipad-iphone-now/|title = Roblox goes mobile in time for the holidays|publisher = VentureBeat|date = December 12, 2012|last = Grubb|first = Jeffrey}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.maclife.com/article/news/roblox_brings_millions_user_created_games_ios |title=ROBLOX Brings Millions of User Created Games to iOS |date=December 12, 2012 |website=Mac{{!}}Life |last=Clark |first=Matt}}</ref> In an interview with [[Massively (blog)|Massively]], CEO David Baszucki stated he also wanted the game to be available on the digital stores of "Android, Windows, Steam, Mac, Chrome, [and] Amazon..."<ref>{{cite news|url = http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/26/mmo-family-roblox-ceo-david-baszucki-talks-mobile-app-plans-fo|title = MMO Family: Roblox CEO David Baszucki talks mobile app, plans for the future|last = Bryan|first = Karen|publisher = Massively|date = December 26, 2012}}</ref>
On May 31, 2015, a feature named Smooth Terrain was added, increasing the graphical fidelity of the terrain and changing the physics engine from a block-oriented style to a smoother and more realistic style.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Roblox user-generated world moves from blocky terrain to smooth 3D|url = httphttps://venturebeat.com/2015/06/01/roblox-user-generated-world-moves-from-blocky-to-smooth-3d-terrain/|website = VentureBeat|accessdate = June 3, 2015}}</ref> On November 20, 2015, ''Roblox'' was launched on Xbox One, with an initial selection of 15 games chosen by ''Roblox'' staff.<ref name="TNW_Woods">{{cite news|last1=Woods|first1=Ben|title=Roblox’s community-made games are coming to Xbox One|url=http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/09/24/robloxs-community-made-games-are-coming-to-xbox-one/|agency=The Next Web|date=September 24, 2015}}</ref><ref name="VB_Grubb">{{cite news|last1=Grubb|first1=Jeff|title=Roblox comes to Xbox One, joins Minecraft in the growing player-made content space on consoles|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2015/09/24/roblox-comes-to-xbox-one/|agency=VentureBeat|date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> New ''Roblox'' games for this console will have to go through an approval process, and are subject to the [[Entertainment Software Ratings Board]] standards.<ref name="Grubb_VBXBox">{{cite news|last1=Grubb|first1=Jeff|title=Roblox launches on Xbox One with 15 player-created games — watch us play them|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2016/01/27/roblox-launches-on-xbox-one-with-15-player-created-games-watch-us-play-them/|agency=VentureBeat|date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name="TTPArrish">{{cite news|last1=Parrish|first1=Robin|title=Roblox Comes to Xbox One In December|url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/88114/20150924/roblox-comes-xbox-one-december.htm|agency=Tech Times|date=September 25, 2015}}</ref>
In April 2016, ''Roblox'' launched ''Roblox VR'' for [[Oculus Rift]]. At the time of release, more than ten million games were available in 3-D.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gaudiosi |first=John |date=April 15, 2016 |title=This Company Just Introduced 20 Million People to Oculus Rift |url=http://fortune.com/2016/04/15/roblox-vr-oculus-rift/ |magazine=Fortune |access-date=December 13, 2016}}</ref> In June 2016, the company launched a version compatible with [[Windows 10]]. While the game has had a PC presence since 2004 with its web version, this is the first time it was upgraded with a standalone launcher built for Windows.<ref name="VB_WIn10">{{cite news|last1=Grubb|first1=Jeff|title=After Xbox One success, Roblox now has a dedicated Windows 10 app|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2016/06/10/after-xbox-one-success-roblox-now-has-a-dedicated-windows-10-app/|publisher=VentureBeat|date=June 10, 2016}}</ref>
In April 2016, Roblox had 30 million monthly active users, and a peak of 900,000 concurrent users.<ref name="Takahashi_10Years">{{cite news|last1=Takahasi|first1=Dean|title=At 10, Roblox surpasses 30 million monthly users and 300 million hours of engagement|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2016/12/20/at-10-roblox-surpasses-30-million-monthly-users-and-300-million-hours-of-engagement/|agency=VentureBeat|date=December 20, 2016}}</ref> Around the same time period, the safe chat feature was removed and replaced by a system based on a [[whitelist]] with a set of acceptable words for users under 13 years old and on a "black list" for other users. This new system allows users under the age of 13 to create content on the website, which they were not able to do previously.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.esafety.gov.au/esafety-information/games-apps-and-social-networking/roblox |title= Roblox|website=Australian Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner |access-date=December 13, 2016}}</ref>
On January 10, 2017, Jazwares unveiled designs for toys based on ''Roblox'' characters. The characters are similar to [[Lego minifigure]]s, having interchangeable body parts, clothes, and tools. The toys were released on February 5, 2017<ref>{{cite news|last1=Takahashi|first1=Dean|title=Roblox launches toys based on its user-generated games|url=httphttps://venturebeat.com/2017/01/10/roblox-launches-toys-based-on-its-user-generated-games/|website=VentureBeat|accessdate=January 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Evangelista|first1=Benny|title=Roblox turning user-designed video game characters into toys|url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Roblox-turning-user-generated-video-game-10853647.php/|accessdate=January 12, 2017}}</ref> Whilst purchasing toys, buyers would be gifted scratch codes to redeem for in-game items.
== References ==
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