As the juggernauts of gaming and entertainment continue to forge new partnerships, Disney has made it clear that they are currently steering clear of any collaborations with the smash-hit online sandbox game Roblox, amid concerns for child safety. Roblox has rolled out a number of new security features that aim to protect all of its players, but many remain weary about the repeated lawsuits filed against the video game company that accuse Roblox of failing to remove predatory users and ensure the youngest fans have a safe space to play in.
Some of the newest safety features implemented by Roblox in light of recent litigation include a new facial age estimation program that prevents children from interacting with adults and an updated game rating system that removed any “unrated” experiences on the platform. Roblox has acknowledged the concerns shared by parents and has stated that it will continue to prioritize user safety, but one particular powerhouse seems to want to wait until further improvements have been made before considering any major partnerships.
Roblox Players Are Not Happy About the Chat Update and Age Verification
Gamers aren’t happy about Roblox’s new chat and age verification update, expressing multiple problems with the process and overall concept.
Roblox Child Safety Concerns Hindering Potential Disney Partnership
According to insider information shared directly with Variety, “Disney does not think Roblox is a safe platform at this time,” and the House of Mouse is more than content to focus only on Fortnite partnerships within the gaming sphere for the time being. Disney’s massive IP catalog shares a majority target audience with Roblox, which would make a team-up between the two a seeming no-brainer. However, Disney’s worries about child safety on Roblox are currently pumping the brakes on any potential collaboration between the big name brands. That hasn’t stopped Roblox from joining forces with other major entertainment players, including Netflix, Lionsgate, Sega, and even Mattel, and it is worth noting that Disney has previously run campaigns on Roblox. And yet the ongoing conversations surrounding Roblox‘s existing safety measures seem to be enough to keep Disney standing by the wayside and focusing on other names in gaming.
While sources have directly told Variety that Disney is weary of teaming with Roblox due to concerns about child safety, it is key to remember that Disney also has a massive financial stake in Epic Games that is undeniably pushing the company to focus on Fortnite above any others. The addition of The Simpsons to Fortnite alone saw massive player count spikes that rivaled previous holiday events and campaigns, and the continued introduction of beloved characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and other Disney-owned brands has no doubt started to pay off for Disney’s $1.5 billion investment in Epic. Both companies have also teased the potential for a much larger project in the works that will allegedly result in not only new games but an “entertainment universe” to boot.
If rumors prove true that Disney and Fortnite are working on their own sandbox gaming platform that features officially licensed Disney assets, it would potentially produce a direct rival to Roblox. Disney has already made it clear that it is happy to give fans direct access to its rolodex of characters, with the new Disney deal with OpenAI proving that the House of Mouse wants audiences to get more directly involved in making content with Disney IPs. The company has officially stated that fan-made content using the Sora generative AI video creation tool is due to make its way to the Disney+ streaming service, so it would not be surprising if Disney and Fortnite are gearing up to create their own Roblox-like sandbox platform where users can develop and share their own fan-made games featuring Disney assets.
Of course, this all remains speculative at this time, but Disney and Fortnite‘s previously announced 2026 reveal of what their “entertainment universe” will be is arguably just as crucial to Disney’s lack of desire to partner with Roblox as any concerns about the safety features of the Roblox platform. As Roblox continues to roll out additional protective features, it will be interesting to see if Disney has a change of heart or if the company does in fact have plans to become a full competitor against Roblox instead.
- Released
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September 1, 2006
- ESRB
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Teen / Diverse Content: Discretion Advised,
In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact - Developer(s)
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Roblox Corporation
- Publisher(s)
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Roblox Corporation
