Roblox revealed on Thursday a new functionality dubbed “Build,” which enables users to create games directly from their mobile devices utilizing artificial intelligence.
With the Build feature, anyone can transform simple text ideas into basic games without needing any coding skills. For instance, if a user inputs, “Let’s create a charming adventure game set in a dense forest,” the feature will produce a draft version of the game that users can tweak and share with friends.
“Using a comprehensive suite of AI models, both open-source and proprietary to Roblox, Build manages various aspects such as gameplay mechanics, environments, characters, visual aesthetics, sound, and more,” the company stated in its announcement.
Similar tools have been developed by major companies like Google, Microsoft, and Tencent. Nonetheless, the rise of AI-generated games has sparked concerns among developers and players alike. Critics argue that lowering the entry barriers for game creation through text prompts may lead to a surge of low-quality and repetitive games, intensifying competition on the platform as developers must vie not only against each other but also against AI-generated games that can be created rapidly.
These worries are reflected in the recent Game Developers Conference’s State of the Game Industry survey, which indicated that 52% of industry professionals view generative AI negatively impacting the field.
In response, Roblox intends to prioritize AI-generated games based on player retention, similar to the method used for other titles on the platform. Games that do not attract players will not receive prominent visibility.
“Our discovery mechanisms are designed to emphasize games with sustained player engagement, which will exclude low-quality AI content. The caliber of games featured on the homepage remains unaffected: If no one plays it — it won’t be found. Our aim with these new tools is to continue enhancing creation for all experience levels,” the company added.
The Build feature is set to enter public alpha testing on July 28, targeting users in New Zealand aged nine and above who have undergone age verification. Users aged 16 and older will have the ability to showcase their creations to a worldwide audience. There will be both a free basic version and premium paid options available.
In addition to the Build feature, Roblox is also focused on developing AI agents that will aid creators in playtesting and analytics. These advancements are expected to roll out in the coming months.
This new feature underscores Roblox’s commitment to investing in AI, which includes a foundation model for generating 3D game assets and an AI chatbot designed to assist developers throughout the game creation journey. Furthermore, Roblox is working on a “new scene-generation model” capable of producing entire editable and playable 3D scenes based on a single text prompt.
This announcement arrives shortly after Roblox announced its plan to discontinue “Roblox Connect,” the avatar-based video-calling feature that was introduced earlier in 2023.
