Following the launch of its
License Manager platform in July,
Roblox is continuing its effort to streamline the proliferation of diverse gaming content on its platform by making it possible for more developers to access and utilize licensed intellectual property
from popular shows and movies.
In July, when Roblox announced its licensing platform and “licenses catalog,” a company spokesperson said the platform
depends on “a diverse group of creators building a broad range of experiences on Roblox across gaming, entertainment, and more” to accomplish its goal of having 10% of all global gaming
content revenue flow through the Roblox ecosystem.
Providing IP access to publishers and brands by simplifying the licensing process marked the first stage of Roblox’s content
revenue solution.
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The company cut a months-long process down to “just days or hours” by allowing publishers and brands to register and create IP licenses, customize the IP use
terms, scan Roblox experiences for IP usage, offer licensed uses directly to creators, and automatically collect revenue share.
So far, Roblox has forged partnerships with Netflix, Lionsgate,
Sega, and Kodansha -- a major Japanese publisher -- in order to allow companies and creators to develop new immersive experiences based on leading franchises including “Stranger Things,”
“Squid Game,” “Twilight,” “Divergent,” “Now You See Me,” “Saw,” “Like A Dragon” and more.
Now, in attempts to
“improve discoverability, expand player bases, and increase monetization,” Roblox is expanding IP access to all eligible creators and developers as well.
“We're making the
License Manager self-serve today,” the company wrote in a statement, explaining that eligible IP holders from a studio or brand can directly offer their IP for use on Roblox, while eligible
creators can also apply to develop an experience using available IP via Roblox’s License Manager.
In the months since Roblox announced its first IP partners, the company writes that the
creator community has submitted over 1,500 license requests.
The company also recently added Mattel franchises “Polly Pocket” and “Street Sharks” to its licensing
catalog.
Overall, creator-made games have proven to be some of the most popular experiences on Roblox. In August, “Steal a Brainrot” and “Grow a Garden” helped the
platform reach 47.4 million total concurrent users over one weekend – a new pinnacle in social gaming.
With regard to IP-licensed experiences, the “Squid Game”-inspired
“Ink Game” by creator Games I Think has been played 2.6 billion times, while Mr Ducky Studio's game using the same Netflix IP has been favorited by users 1.6 million times.
Roblox's suite of self-serve IP management tools allow publishers and brands to vet potential creators interested in utilizing their media property before giving them full access.