Why — and how — Roblox is actively pushing for platform status

As Roblox evolves from a gaming hub to a full-service digital platform, the company’s leaders have made it clear that every step of this transformation is a calculated move. The eventual goal: to make Roblox a destination for all aspects of virtual life — and to turn a profit in the process.

The past month has seen a series of historic firsts for Roblox users, from the late April announcement of an e-commerce pilot test in collaboration with Walmart, to the May 1 rollout of video ads on the platform.

The platform is still growing: during its Q1 2024 earnings call last week, the company reported that its daily active user count had increased 17 percent year-over-year to nearly 78 million, with a 15 percent rise in user hours engaged during the same period. However, Roblox remains as yet unprofitable, posting a net loss of roughly $270 million for the quarter, on top of a roughly $1.2 billion loss in 2023.

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