Roblox announced Thursday a new feature called “Build,” allowing users to design games from their mobile devices using AI.
The Build feature lets anyone turn simple text prompts into a basic game without any programming experience. For example, if a user types, “Let’s make a cozy adventure game set in a dense forest,” the new feature will generate an initial version of the game, which users can then modify and share with friends.
“Powered by a broad set of AI models, including both open-source and proprietary Roblox models, Build handles gameplay mechanics, environment, characters, visual style, sound, and more,” the company wrote in a blog post.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Tencent have built similar tools. However, AI-powered game generation has raised concerns among developers and players, with critics arguing that reducing the barriers to game development via text prompts could lead to an influx of low-quality and repetitive games. This may also increase competition on the platform, as creators are required to compete not only with other developers but also with AI-generated content that can be produced far more quickly.
These concerns are reflected in this year’s Game Developer Conference State of the Game Industry survey, which found that 52% of game industry professionals believe generative AI is having a negative impact on the industry.
