Videogame platform Roblox said it would take a portion of revenue from in-game brand deals starting next year, as part of a broader advertising-policy overhaul designed to draw in more brand dollars and increase creator earnings.
The company has been expanding beyond gaming to transform its platform into a hub for e-commerce, socializing and advertising, and had announced a new ad format and a partnership with Google last year to grow its nascent ad business.
“A revenue share that scales like media will help brands report, measure and value advertising integrations in a similar way to other scaled media formats on other platforms. Today, the flat fee deal structures leave creators earning less, not more,” Roblox said.
“Content will now be classified as an ad if it involves compensation from a brand to feature within a creator’s experience, or if it promotes off-platform products,” it said.
Under the framework, creators will be required to register all advertising integrations with Roblox before campaigns go live, and submit assets for moderation. It will also introduce new advertising labels applied directly in its Studio tool, allowing users to report unwanted ads.
Roblox said rewarded advertising formats and certain brand categories, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and financial services, would be prohibited for users under the age of 13.
By Reuters
