Gaming platform Roblox has launched a new IP licensing platform that will make it easier for rights holders of creative works to partner with digital-first creators in order to reach a large and engaged audience. Called the Roblox License Manager, the platform allows creators to build experiences using popular IP.
Lionsgate, Netflix, Sega, and Kodansha have all signed up to participate in the programme at launch, with more partners to be unveiled in the coming months.
According to Roblox, its creator community is currently thriving; in 2024, they earned $923 million on the platform, a 25% increase from $741 million in 2023. They are now on track to receive over $1 billion of earnings this year.
However, the platform has set itself ambitious revenue growth targets and needs to attract an increasingly diverse group of creators building a broad range of experiences – which is where RLM comes in. “Our vision is to empower all creators to easily partner with the franchises they love and bring the franchises’ licensed IP into their experiences. To achieve this, we’re simplifying how IP owners manage and license their IP at scale so that creators can use that IP on Roblox,” said Roblox.
At the outset, seven IPs are available for licensed use by eligible creators including Squid Game, Stranger Things, Twilight, Saw, Divergent, Now You See Me and Like A Dragon. Two more will follow in the coming weeks, with additional IPs added later.
Until now, licensing IP has been a complex and time-consuming process, according to Roblox. “Potential licensees had to negotiate with a variety of stakeholders and submit to regular reviews, and the process could take months. Not only did rights holders struggle to discover interested creators, but the nature of the process meant that only a select group of larger studios were able to benefit.”
To keep pace with the iterative nature of development on Roblox, full of user-generated experiences that creators continually evolve and update, “we recognised the need to provide creators with a flexible, simple-to-use solution,” said Roblox.
This is where the Roblox License Manager comes in. “What used to be a months-long process, often limited to a select few, now allows all eligible creators and rights holders to secure licensed use of an IP in just days or hours.”
Roblox currently reaches a large and engaged audience of 97.8 million average daily active users. For creators who are able to make licensed use of IP, this means an opportunity to build an experience centrally featuring popular IP.
Lionsgate owns four of the IPs available at launch. “Roblox offers a unique and dynamic platform for our fans to connect with franchises in interactive and personal ways,” said Jenefer Brown, executive VP & head of global products and experiences at Lionsgate. “We’re excited to engage with the Roblox creator community and can’t wait to see the innovative experiences they bring to life with our IP.”
Kodansha is a Japanese global publishing powerhouse with IP spanning manga, anime, and literature. “The creativity of the Roblox community is truly inspiring, and we are thrilled to offer our popular manga, novels, and their anime adaptations to creators through a new form of licensing,” said Yoshinobu Noma, president and CEO of Kodansha Ltd. “This partnership allows us to deepen our connection with fans and explore new storytelling avenues within immersive experiences.”
Roblox said it will be working closely with launch partners to bring more of their IP to Roblox, as well as onboarding more IP holders throughout the year.
