Roblox on ROG Ally, Lionsgate IPs & Halloween

Beyond The Blox

22 October 2025

Adam Whitney

Fedor and Adam look at Roblox on the new ROG Xbox Ally.

In this week's episode of Beyond The Blox, we dove deep into some major hardware expansions for Roblox, analyzed the latest wave of licensed IPs hitting the platform, and speculated on the spooky season ahead. Whether you are a developer looking to optimize for new devices or a player wondering where your "Continue" sort went, we have got you covered.

Roblox Goes Handheld

The headline news this week is the official rollout of Roblox on the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X handheld consoles. This follows testing at RDC 2025 where developers got their hands on the devices to ensure compatibility. Alongside this, Roblox is expanding to the Samsung Galaxy Store, marking a broader push to be available on as many endpoints as possible. The goal? To capture 10% of the total gaming market.

For players, this means more ways to play. For developers, the implications are more significant. Fedor highlighted a key statistic from Roblox: users who play across multiple devices (e.g., switching from phone to desktop to handheld) typically monetize at 2.5 times the rate of single-device users. Supporting these new form factors isn't just about accessibility; it is a direct revenue multiplier.

I shared my hands-on experience with the ROG Ally X at RDC, noting the interesting hybrid nature of the device. It features Xbox-style gamepad controls separated by a touchscreen. This hardware configuration validates Roblox's recent API updates, specifically Input Action System and PreferredInput. Developers can now create interfaces that seamlessly transition between touch and gamepad inputs, a necessity for devices that bridge the gap between console and mobile.

Lionsgate Brings Horror to Roblox

Just in time for the spooky season, the Roblox Licensing Platform has updated with new intellectual properties from Lionsgate. Developers can now apply to create experiences based on The Strangers (Chapters 1 & 2), the Blair Witch franchise, and Fall.

These additions feel strategic given the massive popularity of the horror genre on Roblox. Fall, in particular, seems like a natural fit for the platform's "obby" and tower-climbing culture, though as Anthony noted, the movie involves climbing a tower for a very long time.

However, the licensing model remains a point of friction. The "Full Experience" license requires developers to build a game entirely dedicated to that IP, with a revenue share of roughly 15-20% going to the rights holder. We discussed the limitations of this model, particularly the inability to create "multiverse" style games that blend multiple IPs—a popular trend in anime games. While Roblox hinted at RDC that multi-IP licensing might be possible in the future, the complexity of splitting revenue percentages between multiple rights holders remains a hurdle.

On a positive note, the application process has improved with a new "Pitch" feature. Developers can now submit detailed write-ups of their creative vision, gameplay mechanics, and timelines, allowing for approval based on a concept rather than requiring a near-finished prototype.

The Algorithm vs. Retention: Where did "Continue" go?

If you have scrolled through the Roblox homepage recently, you might have noticed the "Continue" sort—the list of games you played recently—has been pushed further down, buried under algorithmic recommendations.

This change signals a shift in Roblox's philosophy, moving closer to a TikTok or YouTube-style discovery model. The platform is betting that its "For You" algorithm knows what you want to play better than you do. While frustrating for players wanting quick access (and developers trying to test their own games!), this could be a net positive for discovery.

Fedor argued that a smarter algorithm benefits developers by targeting high-quality users rather than relying on "brute force" advertising. In the past, new games were often shown to random players who might leave immediately if the genre didn't match their interests. A refined recommendation engine means that if you make a niche transportation simulator, Roblox is now much better at finding players who love transportation simulators. This shift reduces the reliance on day-one retention and allows games to find their audience organically over time.

Halloween Mysteries

Roblox has been releasing cryptic teasers on X (formerly Twitter) labeled "Halloween Spotlight." The videos feature high-fidelity assets, including a strange compass/watch lying on a forest floor and an anthropomorphic character wearing a ram's skull mask.

The production value of the teasers—featuring PBR textures and 4K-quality assets—suggests this isn't just a highlight reel of existing games. We speculated on whether this points to a new official event. Veterans of the platform will remember the classic Roblox Halloween events (like the 2016 Nerf event), and there is a strong community desire for a return to that format. Whether this "Spotlight" is a full event, a new sort, or something else entirely remains to be seen, but the hype train has officially left the station.

Particle Power-Up: Custom Flipbooks

On the technical side, a new beta feature has launched for Particle Emitters: Custom Flipbook Layouts. Previously, flipbook textures (animated particles) were restricted to square frames (e.g., 4x4, 8x8). This often led to wasted texture space if the particle effect itself wasn't square.

The new update allows for custom layouts, improving memory efficiency and performance. This is part of a broader trend of Roblox empowering creators with "no-code" or property-based solutions for visual effects. By moving these capabilities into the engine properties, it lowers the barrier to entry, allowing artists to create complex, high-performance visual effects without needing deep scripting knowledge or hacky workarounds.

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