Roblox brings back the word “games” after years of “experiences”

At a glance:

• Roblox is re‑introducing the word “games” on its website and developer portal.
• The shift follows the 2021 Epic Games v. Apple trial that hinged on how Roblox is classified.
• Roblox also reverted “connections” back to “friends” after a brief 2025 rename.

What the change looks like

Roblox’s public‑facing sites now feature a dedicated “standout games” section on the homepage, and the developer portal repeatedly uses the term “games” when describing user‑created content. The App Store description still leans heavily on “experiences,” but the visible consumer‑facing language has clearly moved toward the more familiar “games” label.

The company also rolled back a 2025 rename of its social feature from “friends” to “connections,” restoring the original “friends” terminology. This double‑reversal signals a broader effort to simplify language for parents, older players, and creators who found the newer terms confusing.

Why the terminology matters

Roblox spokesperson Juliet Chaitin‑Lefcourt told The Verge, “Over time, we’ve learned that ‘experiences’ isn’t an intuitive term for many parents, older players, and game developers. ‘Games’ is clearer and better reflects what Roblox is and where we’re going.” The quote underscores a pragmatic shift: clarity for the user base outweighs the earlier strategic positioning of the platform as a metaverse.

Using “games” also aligns Roblox with industry conventions, making it easier for app‑store reviewers, advertisers, and potential partners to understand the product. The terminology can affect how regulatory bodies and platform owners, like Apple, categorize the service, which has real implications for compliance and revenue.

History with the Epic‑Apple trial

During the high‑profile Epic Games v. Apple trial in 2021, Apple executives argued that Roblox should not be classified as a game. If Apple had deemed it a game, Roblox would have been subject to stricter App Store rules that could have jeopardized its iOS presence. To sidestep that risk, Roblox swapped “game” for “experience” across its web and mobile interfaces.

The trial spotlighted the legal gray area of platforms that host user‑generated, gamelike content without being a single game themselves. Roblox’s language pivot was a defensive move to keep its iOS app viable while the industry debated the definition of a “game.”

Broader metaverse context

When Roblox first adopted “experiences,” it echoed a wider industry trend of branding platforms as metaverses. Companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) heavily promoted terms like “virtual worlds” and “immersive experiences.” However, by 2024‑25 the hype had cooled; Meta cut staff in its Horizon Worlds division and shifted focus from VR to mobile.

Roblox’s partial retreat from metaverse‑centric language reflects this market reality. While the platform still hosts a vast array of 3D immersive places, the broader public and investors now view “games” as a more concrete, marketable descriptor.

What’s still unchanged

Despite the public‑facing shift, Roblox’s App Store listing continues to prioritize “experiences,” indicating that the internal classification has not been fully abandoned. The platform also maintains its core promise: enabling creators to build and monetize user‑generated 3D worlds, whether they are called games or experiences.

The dual terminology may persist for a transitional period, but the visible branding now leans heavily on the familiar “games” label, suggesting a long‑term commitment to clarity over metaverse buzzwords.