SAN MATEO, September 16 — Roblox Corp used its annual developers conference to lay out a slate of new features that push the platform well beyond its own app, including standalone games on other platforms, direct real-world payments to creators, and an expanded set of generative AI tools.
The company said it plans to let creators bring their games to other platforms as standalone apps on PC, mobile and consoles, with Roblox Corp “powering the technology underneath.” Creators will also be able to offer an offline play mode for their games, and games will be playable in Google Chrome — initially — without installing the Roblox app directly. Think of it like a store brand deciding to sell its products in other shops instead of only its own.
Roblox has long been the destination you had to visit; under this plan, the games themselves travel. No timing was provided for standalone app support beyond “soon.” Web browser functions are projected for the end of this year, and offline mode is planned for mid-2027. On the AI side, the gen AI Build tool that entered public alpha earlier this year will be expanded to users in Singapore and Serbia.
A scene generator tool arriving later this year will let users type prompts and have generative AI create a 3-D scene — a shift from building environments by hand to describing them in words. Roblox Corp also promoted two monetization features.
Roblox Wallet will let creators earn real-world currency directly, with automatic payments each business day, and then transfer funds to other Roblox accounts or an external account. Roblox Card will work like a debit card linked to Roblox Wallet. The Wallet will release to eligible U.S. users aged 18 and older later this year, while Card is slated for sometime in 2027.
A protest on stage
The conference was not without disruption. YouTuber Emathiio ran on stage when CEO David Baszucki appeared, wearing a shirt reading “kids deserve better” and shouting the same message behind him. Emathiio was quickly grabbed by security and moved off stage, and a follow-up video from the creator explained his protest, saying in part that he was speaking out against AI encroachment and in favor of better child safety measures.
The practical upshot for players and creators is a platform betting that its next phase runs on two engines at once: AI that lowers the skill barrier to making things, and payment rails that turn those creations into income. Watch the browser-based play rollout at the end of this year, the scene generator later in the year, and the Wallet’s U.S. debut for the clearest signal of how fast any of this actually lands.
