For the past 20 years, Roblox games have been very recognizable. The simple game loops with blocky avatars were an unmistakable part of its identity. For kids, that was part of the appeal. The games looked like an extension of their toy chest. As the platform grew, so did the variety of games. Obbies and tycoons started making way for first-person shooters, complex role-playing games, and even high-end racing. But even with great playability, the graphics were stuck with squared edges. Over the last few years, that’s been changing dramatically. Creators on the platform have been using the tools Roblox has developed to create bigger and flashier experiences on par with indie games made for mainstream consoles and PC. With the release of its latest trailer, Roblox is highlighting games that go beyond the blox and deliver some truly awe-inspiring visuals. These are no longer good-looking Roblox games. They’re just good games, period.
Roblox‘s Fall Games Preview gives players a look at ten games and events to keep an eye on. From movement shooters to dungeon crawling, the preview is loaded with jaw-dropping visuals in a wide variety of genres. Some of the must-play titles include GOAT Football League, movement shooter Nemesis, dinosaur hunter Fossil Force, 2D pixel-art farm game Caramel, multiplayer RPG Scrapbook Saga, polished hero shooter Prime Heroes, open-world racer Octane, sci-fantasy RPG Starforged, and survival-horror title Monster in the Mansion. The tenth title in the trailer is the Showdown Cup, an in-game tournament for the pre-existing competitive FPS. Watch the trailer below to get a quick look at all ten games.
All of these titles are rendered beyond what anyone thought Roblox was capable of just a few years ago. The improved graphics capabilities opened up opportunities for creators that were previously gun-shy about working on the platform. Ubermonster was one such developer with their game Monster in the Mansion. Created by Anthony Francisco, the game sends teams of up to eight people into Doctor Mondo’s mansion. Their job is to survive, find an antidote, and cure the doctor. Randomized monsters keep each trip through the house fresh. If the monsters look better than your average Roblox goon, it’s most likely because Francisco is kind of a big deal in the world of character design. The Marvel Studios alum created the visuals for Black Panther‘s Dora Milaje as well as the cultural sensation Baby Groot. Francisco has experimented with emerging technology before when he created an NFT line for Dolphin Entertainment. Building a game on Roblox, however, was new to him.
“There is a speed in Roblox that I like,” Francisco said. “This is why I was able to keep the story and the game in lockstep, because I can see if something works visually or not. I didn’t realize the tools got more robust and took things to a more realistic finish.” That helped his team stay close to his original vision for Monster in the Mansion. Coming from the guy who helped design much of the MCU, that’s a pretty strong endorsement of how much Roblox has grown up.
Better-looking games aren’t the only reason creators are moving to the platform. AAA games are still incredibly expensive to build. The upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 reportedly cost up to $2 billion. While there is a massive difference between a Roblox experience and one of the biggest games of all time, the point still stands that the traditional studio-publisher relationship is no longer as economically viable as it once was. Roblox offers another option. Creators can develop a game, distribute it to a built-in audience, and monetize it without ever leaving the platform. If a dev can make something as polished as Monster in the Mansion, why look elsewhere? Roblox was once a place for creators to learn the ropes before heading into more traditional game development. Now, gaming talent from the outside is moving to Roblox.
The strides some developers are making don’t mean blocky games and amateur showcases are going away. They’re a permanent part of the Roblox ecosystem. But it does mean that it’s harder to ignore Roblox as a holistic game outlet with high quality product. The Fall Game Preview has ten examples of the platform’s future. And folks, the future looks good.
