Roblox, renowned for its immersive gaming experiences, announced a new Roblox phone call feature and is expanding its horizons to become a leading communication platform, according to Chief Technology Officer, Dan Sturman.
With a staggering 65 million daily active users, Roblox’s foray into in-app calls signifies a substantial leap towards redefining how its community interacts.
Roblox phone call feature will reshape the platform
While Roblox is often associated with gaming, it is fundamentally a versatile platform enabling users to craft and explore virtual realms, typically games, designed for multiplayer engagement, and frequently available for free.
Central to this new initiative is ‘Roblox Connect’, an innovative communication concept facilitating voice interaction among users’ avatars within a shared digital space. This advancement builds upon Roblox’s existing avatar chat software, which garnered an impressive 4.3 million users aged 13 and above within its initial 20 days, retaining a quarter of them, as reported by Sturman.
Key features of Roblox Connect:
- Voice chat and animated facial expressions:
- Connect incorporates voice communication alongside utilizing the device’s camera (phone, computer, or tablet) to animate avatars’ facial expressions. In the future, upper body movement will also be integrated.
- Demo at the Roblox Developers Conference:
- The company recently showcased this groundbreaking feature at its annual Developers Conference, offering a glimpse into the future of Roblox’s communication capabilities.
- Accessible to user-creators:
- The initial Roblox Connect experience, developed by the company, is slated for release later this year as a proof of concept. The underlying technology will be made available to all user-creators aged 13 and above.
The introduction of the Roblox phone call feature underscores the platform’s strategic vision of evolving beyond a gaming hub into an indispensable daily utility for its vast user base. With an average daily usage of 2.3 hours per person, Roblox has become a significant part of many users’ online lives. The incorporation of real-time communication through avatars is a natural progression, offering a more immersive and personal way for users to interact.
One of the most exciting aspects of this development is the newfound opportunities it presents for creators within the Roblox community. Avatars and accessories, already crucial elements of the Roblox experience, will take center stage in the realm of communication. This shift could lead to a surge in creativity, as designers strive to craft avatars that not only represent users accurately but also facilitate seamless and engaging conversations.
Community standards and moderation
While Roblox Connect is poised to revolutionize communication within the platform, it must coexist with the company’s established community standards. Real-time, automated chat moderation will monitor conversations for adherence to these guidelines. For instance, profanity will not be tolerated, in line with Roblox’s community standards. Additionally, discussions about current political candidates will be restricted, although some flexibility may be considered.
Looking ahead
As Roblox prepares to roll out Roblox Connect, it’s essential to note that this is not a video chat platform; users will engage through their avatars rather than face-to-face interaction.
Other highlights from the developers conference:
- The eagerly awaited arrival of Roblox on PlayStation in October.
- Introduction of an AI assistant to aid users in content creation through voice and text prompts, utilizing existing user-generated content as a training ground.
Roblox’s venture into communication with the Roblox phone call feature showcases the platform’s commitment to providing a comprehensive virtual experience. As the release date draws near, the community eagerly anticipates a new era of interaction within the Roblox universe.
Meanwhile, as Roblox tries to evolve into something larger than a gaming hub, there are several notions that both the company and parents should take caution about, such as how Scammers target kids on Fortnite and Roblox.
Featured image credit: Roblox
