Who created Roblox?
The Roblox Corporation is the company behind the now massive franchise, but like all things, it started somewhere. So here is the story of who created Roblox, how they did it, and how it became what it is now.
The Beginning
Click to enlargeRoblox was first conceived by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, co-founders of the company, in 2004. Then known as "Dynablox", the Roblox name came in the following year. It started small and added many of the features the service has become known for over the years.
Players could make and play games using Roblox and its quite limited toolset. Players could also earn Roblox Points, either by logging in regularly or by playing games. These points would go on to become Robux, the currency now used to buy and sell Roblox experiences and items.
In the late 2000s, a premium subscription service called the Builders Club was added, a membership that gives added benefits and features. The tiers of this membership range in price from $5.95/£5.49 per month, to $19.95/£18.49 per month.
In the late 00s and into the early 10s, Roblox exploded in popularity due in part to events like Roblox Game Conference and Bloxcon.
Recent History
Click to enlargeThe story of Roblox over the last ten years has largely involved the company finding new ways to monetise the service. For example, in 2013, members of the Outrageous Builders Club ($19.95/£18.49 per month, or $129.95/£129.99 annually) were given the ability to earn real money by exchanging their Robux for legal tender.
"From the very beginning, it was about having kids develop games for other kids" is a quote from Tami Bhaumik, now the Vice President of Civility and Partnerships at the Roblox Corporation, setting the tone for what Roblox is meant to be. For years now, kids have been developing games for other kids through Roblox, and as is detailed in this investigation by People Make Games, those kids have been working very hard.
As a result, the Roblox Corporation is now valued in the billions of dollars and ranks among the most profitable companies in the games industry. Many nascent game developers who create "experiences" (legally they are cannot refer to them as games and sell them on the Apple store) through Roblox are reportedly often overworked, and largely underpaid. Of all the platforms through which games can be sold, Roblox takes the largest cut of the profits.
Roblox can be a wonderful tool for kids to learn, create and share with their friends. However, it is also an extremely valuable platform whose value relies largely on the hard work and fervent dedication of young fans, mostly children, who see little benefit from their labour.
That is the story of Roblox and its creation in a nutshell. There are many games under the Roblox banner, and you can find useful codes for many of them in our Roblox codes section.
