Roblox is fundamentally restructuring how its youngest users experience its metaverse, introducing a tiered system of Roblox age-based accounts designed to tighten safety and align content with developmental stages. The platform announced the creation of two recent account categories—Roblox Kids and Roblox Select—which will implement stricter defaults for communication and content access based on a user’s verified age.
According to an announcement published on April 13, 2026, by Founder and CEO David Baszucki, these new account types are scheduled to roll out in early June. The initiative aims to unify age-checks, account-level defaults, and expanded parental controls into a single framework to better protect users under 16.
This move comes as the gaming giant faces increasing pressure to safeguard minors. By separating users into specific age brackets, Roblox intends to more effectively manage who can communicate with whom and what types of user-generated content are visible to different age groups. Whereas users aged 16 and older will observe no change to their experience, those under 16 will be subject to a new selection process for available games.
The New Tiered System: Roblox Kids and Roblox Select
The core of the update lies in the automatic assignment of users to specific account tiers based on their age, which is determined via a verified parent or the company’s global age-check technology. The two new tiers are divided as follows:
- Roblox Kids (Ages 5–8): These users will have the most restrictive settings. Access is limited to a dynamically updated catalog of thousands of games that have passed a three-step selection process and carry a “Minimal” or “Mild” content maturity label. Notably, all communication features are disabled by default for these accounts. To make the account type easily identifiable, the app experience will feature a distinct background color starting in early June.
- Roblox Select (Ages 9–15): This tier is designed for older children and young teenagers. While it provides more flexibility than the Kids account, it still operates under the new unified framework of age-based content access and communication defaults.
Roblox believes that the vast majority of favorite games will remain accessible to age-checked users under 16 at launch, provided they meet the platform’s selection criteria for safety and maturity.
Strengthening the Digital Perimeter: AI and Biometric Verification
To enforce these boundaries, Roblox is leaning heavily into advanced verification tools. The platform has moved toward an AI-powered age verification process that may require biometric data or government-issued identification to confirm a user’s identity. This is part of a broader effort to limit interactions between minors and adults, specifically to prevent adult strangers from communicating with children.
The implementation of these safety guards has been phased. While the process began as voluntary on November 18th of the previous year, it became the norm in New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands in the first week of December. The global rollout, including the United States, was expected to be completed by January 2026.
Under this system, players who wish to utilize communication features must provide facial scans and government ID. Roblox has stated that it will almost entirely block cross-age messaging by segregating users into six different age groups. To address privacy concerns, the company has vowed not to store facial scans or government IDs on its own servers, instead using the technology to verify age and then discarding the sensitive data.
Addressing the Safety Crisis: Why These Changes Matter Now
The shift toward more rigid age-based accounts is not happening in a vacuum. Roblox has faced significant criticism and is currently dealing with tens of lawsuits from multiple states regarding child safety on the platform. These legal challenges often center on allegations of child grooming and the presence of explicit content requests targeting minors.
With tens of millions of daily users under the age of 13, the platform is attempting to position itself as a leader in digital safety. By implementing biometric and government ID verification, Roblox is attempting to solve a long-standing problem in the gaming industry: the ease with which adults can pose as children to gain access to minor-heavy social spaces.
The combination of Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts, paired with the AI verification engine, represents a shift from a “trust-based” system to a “verification-based” system. This ensures that parental controls are not just optional toggles but are baked into the account architecture based on the user’s actual age.
Key Takeaways for Parents and Users
| Feature | Roblox Kids (5-8) | Roblox Select (9-15) | Users 16+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Access | Minimal/Mild labels only | Age-appropriate selection | No change |
| Communication | Disabled by default | Age-restricted defaults | No change |
| Verification | Parent or Global Age-Check | Parent or Global Age-Check | Existing standards |
| Visual Indicator | Distinct background color | Standard interface | Standard interface |
What Happens Next
As the platform prepares for the early June rollout, parents are encouraged to review the updated Parental Controls FAQ to understand how to manage their child’s engagement and interactions. The transition to these accounts will be automatic for those whose age is already verified through the system or by a parent.
The next major milestone will be the official activation of the Roblox Kids and Select account types in June, which will formally transition millions of younger users into these restricted environments.
Do you feel biometric verification is a necessary step for online safety, or does it cross a privacy line? Share your thoughts in the comments below.