Roblox was announced On Thursday a new feature called ‘Build’, allowing users to design games from their mobile devices using AI.
The Build feature allows anyone to turn simple text messages into a basic game without any programming experience. For example, if a user types, “Let’s make a cozy adventure game in a dense forest,” the new feature will create an initial version of the game, which users can then modify and share with friends.
“Supported by a wide range of AI models, including both open source and proprietary Roblox models, Build handles game mechanics, environment, characters, visual style, audio and more,” the company wrote in its blog post.
Companies like Google, Microsoft and Tencent have created similar tools. However, creating games with artificial intelligence has raised concerns among developers and players, with critics arguing that lowering the barriers to game development via text messaging could lead to an influx of low-quality and repetitive games. This can also increase competition on the platform, as creators have to compete not only with other developers but also with AI-generated content that can be produced much faster.
Those concerns are reflected in this year’s Game Developers Conference State of the Game Industry survey, which found that 52% of game industry professionals believe that genetic AI is having a negative impact on the industry.
To address this, Roblox plans to rank these AI-generated games based on player retention, similar to the system used for other games on the platform. If a game isn’t being played, it won’t show up as prominently.
“Our discovery systems are designed to flag games with a long shelf life, which doesn’t involve artificial intelligence. The quality of games on the homepage doesn’t change: If no one plays them — no one can find them. The goal in these new tools is to continue to accelerate creation at all experience levels,” the company added.
The Build feature will enter public alpha testing on July 28, available to New Zealand users aged nine and over who have verified their age. Users aged 16 and over will have the opportunity to publish their creations to a global audience. There will be a free, basic version available along with paid options.
Beyond the Build feature, Roblox is also working on developing AI agents to help creators playtest and provide analytics. These features are expected to roll out in the coming months.
The new feature highlights Roblox’s continued investment in artificial intelligence, including a core AI model for creating 3D game assets and an AI chatbot to support developers in the game creation process. Additionally, Roblox is developing a “new scene generation model” capable of generating entire editable and playable 3D scenes from a single text message.
Additionally, the announcement comes shortly after Roblox show up plans to discontinue “Roblox Connect,” the avatar-based video calling feature introduced in 2023.
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