CEO David Baszucki's mission to make Roblox a billion-player platform
Oct 12, 2023
auto_awesome
David Baszucki, Founder and CEO of Roblox, shares his insights on transforming the platform from a kid-centric space to a creative hub for all ages. He discusses the integration of AI to assist content creators and the strategies for attracting a more mature audience. David also highlights the innovative ways Roblox is evolving into a social networking experience, incorporating advertising into immersive environments. His vision encompasses a future where fashion and creativity thrive, making Roblox a billion-user platform.
Roblox aims to be a platform where users can develop games and experiences, not just a product.
Roblox sees the potential of generative AI to assist content creators on their platform in the future.
Deep dives
Roblox's Push to Become a Platform for Adults
Roblox, traditionally seen as a platform for kids, is expanding its audience by targeting adults. The company aims to be more than just a product and is focused on becoming a full-fledged platform where users can develop games and experiences. While Roblox embodies the idea of a metaverse, CEO David Bazooki prefers not to use that term. He believes that AI plays a crucial role in Roblox's business, particularly in functions like efficiency, translation, and safety. The company is also exploring the potential of generative AI to assist content creators in the future.
The Growth of Roblox's User Base
Roblox is making efforts to broaden its user base and cater to older demographics. The company has been working to create exclusive experiences and verifying user identities to attract users over the age of 17. While there is still progress to be made, Roblox has seen significant growth in the 17-24 age group, which is currently the fastest-growing segment on the platform. Users in this age group engage in a wide range of experiences and come to Roblox to socialize and interact with friends.
Roblox's Vision Beyond Gaming
Roblox is not solely focused on gaming. CEO David Bazooki envisions Roblox as a communication and connection platform that goes beyond traditional gaming. He expresses a desire for Roblox to become a utility platform, similar to the evolution of communication technologies like mail, telegraph, and video calls. Bazooki believes that immersive 3D communication, whether for gaming, social events, or even simulating physical spaces like offices, has the potential to transform the way people interact and connect. Roblox's goal is to reach a billion daily active users on the platform, emphasizing the company's ambition to become a central part of people's lives beyond gaming.
Today we’re bringing you the last of our live-on-stage interviews from the 2023 Code Conference. Verge deputy editor Alex Heath sat down to chat with Roblox CEO David Baszucki.
Roblox definitely started out as a kid thing, but the company has big plans to change all that, and Alex got to find out a bit about how that’s going. Roblox is determined to be a platform, even more than a product — something users can develop games and experiences on. And of course, David and Alex spoke about AI. David sees a lot of opportunity for generative AI to help content creators on the Roblox platform in the not-so-distant future.