Some Roblox Creators May Get Paid for Like a Dragon, Stranger Things Fan Games

Some creators may soon be able to earn money from Roblox fan games based on several popular IPs, including Like a Dragon and Stranger Things. That’s thanks to a newly announced initiative that could reshape the massive market for unofficial fan games that has long thrived on Roblox.

Unlicensed Roblox games based on Pokemon, Star Wars, and countless other franchises have long been prevalent on the popular platform. While some rights holders attempted to actively support Roblox to find new audiences, such attempts are still few and far between relative to unsanctioned projects.

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In an apparent move to change this state of affairs, the Roblox Corporation launched a new licensing platform for in-game experiences on July 15. Called the Roblox License Manager (RLM), the solution allows rights holders to license their IPs to creators at scale. Licensed Roblox experiences will be monetizable, allowing users to earn money from their games. The revenue split and other licensing terms differ by IP and rights holder.

Roblox License Manager Partners

Sega, for example, is currently offering a 50/50 revenue split for Like a Dragon fan games that it agrees to license. The Japanese gaming giant will only consider submissions averaging at least 1,000 daily active users on Roblox. The initial version of RLM also enjoys support from several other major entertainment giants, including manga and anime powerhouse Kodansha, as well as Lionsgate, which agreed to consider licensing fan games based on Saw, Twilight, Now You See Me, and Divergent.

Roblox May Soon Offer ‘More Nuanced’ IP Licensing Options

Right now, RLM only allows rights holders to license their IPs to fan experiences, which are essentially mini-games inside Roblox. However, a Roblox Corporation representative told Game File that the company may offer “more nuanced” licensing options in the future. For example, instead of a full-fledged game, a company may be able to license its IP for a fan-made item, splitting the revenue from its sales with the creator. There’s currently no timeline for when these expanded options may roll out.

Some of the early supporters of the newly launched tool have long seen their IPs featured in countless unsanctioned experiences. For instance, Squid Game fan games have been incredibly popular on Roblox for a while now. The new rights management tool promises to tackle at least a portion of this gray market, allowing the most successful creators to get paid for their work, while simultaneously allowing publishers to tap into new audiences.

Roblox

Released

September 1, 2006

ESRB

T for Teen

Developer(s)

Roblox Corporation

Publisher(s)

Roblox Corporation