Roblox has hit $2.5 billion in lifetime player spending across the App Store and Google play. This is according to Sensor Tower data estimates, which provide some context to the company’s going public today via a direct listing.
Indicative of the strong growth Roblox experienced last year, 2020 alone saw the company generate close to $1.2 billion on the App Store and Google Play. The United States, the platform’s No. 1 country for player spending, accounts for approximately 65% of lifetime mobile revenue.
“Over the years, the company has executed superbly on its strategy to enable vast amounts of user-generated content, cross-platform play and a place to connect with others,” says Craig Chapple, Mobile Insights Strategist, EMEA, at Sensor Tower. “If you look at where the market is today, these are some of the trends that publishers are following, which Roblox is already ahead on. Unlike many games, Roblox has been able to create an ecosystem where players can create content and earn money from it, whether that’s from developing games within Roblox for others to play, becoming an influencer, or providing supporting businesses such as localization. Not just fun to play, it’s serious business for a number of users.”
The analyst also outlined some of the challenges Roblox will be facing in the immediate future and what effect it can have on the industry at large.
Some of the biggest challenges for Roblox moving forward will be raising the average age of its playerbase, which largely skews toward younger users–though the company is already making headway here. Then there’s competitors like Fortnite, which is building out metaverse-like experiences itself, and has an older playerbase. So far, Roblox has built a solid foundation and 2020 was a banner year for the title. The company is certainly in a great position to build on that, and the reality of the metaverse might not be too far away.
Mobile Insights Strategist, EMEA, at Sensor Tower