Russia Blocks Roblox Amid Claims of Extremism and LGBT Content

Russian regulators have blocked access to Roblox, one of the world’s largest user-generated gaming platforms, following a series of accusations that it served as a conduit for extremist and harmful content.

The decision was announced on 3 December by consumer watchdog Roskomnadzor, which stated that repeated reviews of the platform uncovered:

“mass and systematic publication of materials containing justification of extremist and terrorist activity, incitement to unlawful violence, and promotion of LGBT themes.”

The agency noted that warnings had been sent to the company for years, but claimed the violations persisted.

A Global Platform Popular With Young Players

Roblox, launched in 2006, allows users to design, publish, and play millions of custom games known as “experiences.” The platform surged in popularity during pandemic lockdowns, becoming a virtual social space for children separated from friends and classmates.

Today, it attracts more than 150 million daily users and supports an ecosystem of millions of independent developers. These creators build games using Roblox Studio, a development toolkit based on the Lua programming language, and earn income through item sales, subscriptions, premium payouts, and in-game advertising.

“Experiences” span genres from role-playing adventures to combat arenas, simulators, obstacles, and narrative-driven worlds.

Players customize avatars, purchase accessories using the platform’s virtual currency Robux, and switch seamlessly between PC, consoles, and mobile devices. For many younger users, Roblox became their first exposure to coding, digital entrepreneurship, and online creative communities.

Regulator Cites Pattern of Violations

Roskomnadzor said the decision to block the platform followed “repeated, large-scale findings” of content it deemed illegal under Russian law. Officials indicated that the service had received complaints from users and organizations since 2019.

“The platform has failed to curb the spread of materials involving extremist justification, calls to violence, and content prohibited for distribution to minors,” the agency stated.

While the regulator did not publish examples of the offending material, it emphasized that the combination of user-generated content and a young audience created “high risks” for minors. The agency also referenced the presence of LGBT-themed elements, which fall under Russia’s expanded restrictions on what it calls the “international LGBT movement.”

Impact on Players and Developers

The ban effectively cuts Russian users off from the global Roblox ecosystem, including millions of games and a marketplace that sustains a growing number of independent developers. For younger players, the removal eliminates a digital hub used for socializing, building projects, and participating in online communities.

As of now, Roskomnadzor has not indicated whether access could be restored in the future or what specific actions the company would need to take to comply with Russian regulations.