Roblox: Where Gen Alpha lives, plays and discovers brands

There’s a quiet revolution happening in next-gen customer engagement happening. It’s playful, chaotic, wildly immersive. And it’s all going down inside Roblox. This isn’t just a game. It’s where Gen Alpha hangs out, builds identities, and discovers brands before they even know what “brand affinity” means.

Roblox by the (impressive) numbers

As of Q1 2025, gaming platform Roblox has exploded to 98 million daily active users (+26% compared to last year) worldwide. Roblox still gets brushed off by some as “just for kids”. But that ’s shifting, too. More than 53 million users on the platform are now aged 13 and up, with the fastest-growing segment sitting squarely in the 17 to 24 age range.

Engagement on Roblox is off the charts: Users spent a staggering 22 billion hours (+30% from last year) on Roblox in Q4 2024 alone. That’s not just scrolling past a TikTok or tapping through Instagram Stories. On Roblox, it’s concentrated. Users aren’t just passively watching, they’re participating. Roblox delivers not just impressions, but immersive, interactive experiences where brand storytelling and fandom can actually take root. Branded games on Roblox aren’t just another format, they’re fully immersive environments. Think digital flagship stores meets theme parks meets community hubs. And they’re sticky. 

In just the first quarter of 2025, Roblox pulled in over $1 billion in revenue (a 29% jump) that puts it on par with major global retailers. What’s driving that? An average spend of $12 per daily user and a monthly base of 20 million paying players. That’s not just engagement. That’s serious conversion. Roblox isn’t just winning attention, it’s monetizing it at scale.

And Roblox isn’t just a Western thing, it's a global phenomenon. 35.7% of users are in Asia-Pacific, 20.9% in Europe, 19% in the US/Canada, and 24.3% in the rest of the world. With regional pricing now built in, the platform is optimizing for worldwide growth, unlocking new markets from Southeast Asia to South America. The platform is mobile-first (80% of sessions), making it the always-on digital playground for a global, on-the-go generation.

So, what even is Roblox? 

Roblox is not just one game. It is a gaming platform. A digital universe built almost entirely by its users, where every corner of the experience, from the way you look to the world you enter,  is open to invention. Think of it as a creative engine wrapped inside a massive social playground, where game worlds, fashion drops, and branded concert arenas all exist side by side.

It is part development tool, part social space, and part economy. It allows anyone, from a kid in Manila to a brand strategist in Manhattan, to build their own interactive world, script the logic, invite people in, and turn pure imagination into a shared experience. There is no one-size-fits-all aesthetic, no single storyline that runs through the platform. Roblox is more like a digital multiverse, constantly in flux, fueled by subcultures, creators, and a generation that sees play not as a break from life but as part of life itself. That is what makes it powerful. 

And then there’s the social layer. Roblox isn’t transactional, it’s tribal. Discovery happens through word of mouth, virtual hangouts, group games. Roblox’s network isn’t limited to real-life friendships. It’s layered with digital collaborators, style leaders, mini-celebrities. The people shaping what’s cool aren’t necessarily your classmates. They might be a 13-year-old coder in Brazil or a fashion-savvy tween in Seoul. Kids don’t just find brands. They introduce them to each other.

While most marketers are still trying to hack the algorithm on TikTok, Gen Alpha is logging into Roblox after school, not just to play but to connect. It is where they meet up with friends, explore new identities, style their avatars, shop virtual drops, and discover brands in a way that feels completely native to them. And this is not a small, niche thing. It is already massive in mainstream and it is growing fast.

How the smartest brands show up on Roblox

Here’s what it looks like when brands actually understand the platform. These three activations didn’t just show up on Roblox, because it's a trend. These branded experiences worked because they were integrated, interactive, and intentional. They respected the platform’s language and spoke to it fluently.

1. Sonic Speed Simulator by Gamefam x SEGA

What SEGA pulled off with Gamefam is textbook brilliance. They didn’t just license a character. They reimagined Sonic for a new generation. And it worked. “Sonic Speed Simulator” became the first branded Roblox game to break 1 billion visits. Not because of nostalgia. But because it was actually fun. It rewarded play. It created community. It made Sonic relevant again.

2. Chipotle Burrito Builder

Chipotle didn’t just show up. They designed an experience that gamified one of their core rituals, rolling a burrito. But here’s the genius: players earned real-life rewards. Burritos in the mail. Discounts in-app. This wasn’t just cute. It was conversion. It translated time spent into sales. And it unlocked a new level of loyalty from a younger audience who now associates Chipotle with play.

3. e.l.f. UP! by E.l.f. Beauty

Beauty brands love to talk about community. E.l.f. actually built one. “e.l.f. UP!” turned Roblox into a fully shoppable makeup experience with virtual looks and real-world checkout. The result? Over 12 million visits and an IRL sales bump. They treated Roblox like a new retail channel, not a billboard. And it paid off.

Where commerce meets culture - the new Roblox economy 

Roblox isn’t just a space to play, it’s a full-blown economic engine. And the infrastructure is evolving fast. One of the biggest recent shifts? Shopify integration. Roblox creators and brands can now sell physical products directly through the platform. That hoodie your avatar’s wearing? Tap the item on Roblox, buy it instantly, and it’s on your doorstep next week. It’s the metaverse version of see-now-buy-now — but way more native, and way more Gen Alpha. Early pilots (Walmart, Hilton Hotels) have shown that Roblox can drive both digital and physical sales, with users buying items for themselves and their avatars in one seamless journey.

Additionally, Roblox and Google have launched rewarded video ads with 80–90% video completion rates and 87% positive user reviews—metrics that rival or beat YouTube and TikTok for Gen Z/Alpha engagement. The platform’s push for standardized, programmatic ad buying and robust analytics is making it a serious contender for media budgets, not just experimental spend.

Currently, Roblox is adding AI-native creation and personalization and is rolling out Cube, a generative AI system for 3D and 4D content, making it easier than ever for creators (and brands) to build bespoke worlds, assets, and interactions. Think text prompts turned into 3D game assets. Enhanced discovery algorithms and personalized homepages mean branded experiences can find the right audience faster, driving higher retention and organic growth.

Get in while it's still building

When a 10-year-old puts on your hoodie in Roblox, that’s the first touchpoint. When they remember that moment five years from now while shopping IRL, that’s brand equity. That’s nostalgia. That’s lifetime value. Early exposure builds lifetime affinity. And that affinity isn’t built on ads. It’s built on experiences.

So if you’re a brand still waiting for Roblox to hit “mainstream,” newsflash: it already did.
You’re not early. You’re just not too late, yet. Show up with value. Speak the language. Build something fun. Because Gen Alpha is watching. And they’ve got time.