Roblox just made a major play to scale its ecosystem and bring more premium content into the fold.
With the launch of its License Manager and Licenses catalog, Roblox is giving IP holders the infrastructure they need to safely and efficiently license their franchises to creators on the platform. Gone are the months-long negotiations and back-and-forth approvals. Now, with a few clicks, Netflix, Lionsgate, Sega, and Kodansha can let creators apply to use their IP and build full-experience games directly on Roblox.
Self-Serve Licensing for Big IP
Roblox is kicking things off with seven heavyweight IPs from four major partners. Netflix is offering Stranger Things and Squid Game. Lionsgate is making Twilight, Saw, Divergent, and Now You See Me available. Sega is contributing Like A Dragon, and Kodansha will add Blue Lock and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime next month.
Initially, creators will be able to build full-game experiences based on these titles. Over time, Roblox says it will expand the license types available, giving rights holders and developers more flexibility in how they collaborate.
This isn’t just about smoother licensing. It’s about unlocking scale. Roblox has long attracted indie creators who build viral games from scratch. Now, those same creators can legally build around world-renowned franchises. That is a major unlock for both sides.
Context: Roblox Wants a Slice of Global Gaming Revenue
This licensing platform ties directly into Roblox’s long-term ambition: capturing 10% of global gaming content revenue. In 2024, creators earned $ 923 million, up 25% from $ 741 million in 2023. The company is currently on track to exceed 1 billion dollars in earnings this year.
Roblox reported 97.8 million average daily active users in Q1 2025. That kind of reach has made the platform especially attractive to Hollywood. Warner Bros.’ Beetlejuice: Escape the Afterlife activation featured mini-games and even a virtual box office selling real-world tickets. Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob and Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 already have hit titles on the platform, while Universal launched an official How to Train Your Dragon game.
As Roblox Chief Product Officer Manuel Bronstein put it, what used to be a months-long licensing process, limited to a select few, is now available to all eligible creators and rights holders in just days or even hours.
The Take
This new system removes the friction that has historically limited partnerships to large studios or branded events. Now, IP owners can scale their presence on Roblox with minimal overhead. Creators can tap into franchises they love legally and bring them to life for Roblox’s 97.8 million daily users.
If Roblox succeeds, it could reshape how Hollywood approaches interactivity. Not just as a marketing channel, but as a monetizable distribution platform, franchise builder, and potentially even a development testbed for new IP. Starting with licensed extensions, moving into co-creation, and eventually seeding entirely new IP born inside Roblox and exported out.
