On July 16 (US local time), Roblox unveiled 'Build', a dedicated creation tab for its mobile app, alongside a suite of new AI-powered tools.

Build allows you to conjure up basic games using nothing but text prompts. For instance, if you type, 'Create an adventure game set in a lush forest with a cozy atmosphere where I have to navigate obstacles,' the tool automatically generates a functional prototype. You can then tweak the game, run playtests, share it with friends, or publish it straight to Roblox.

The system is built on an extensive AI model, designed to handle gameplay mechanics, environments, characters, visual styles, and soundscapes, all without you ever needing to leave the app.

Roblox has also extended its desktop creation tool, 'Roblox Studio', into the mobile app. Build and Roblox Studio share backend systems, AI models, and chat histories. This means you can start a project in Build and refine it in Studio, or run an agent in Studio and check the progress in real-time on your mobile device.

The company is currently stress-testing agent tools that handle the more tedious development chores for you, with a wider rollout of new features planned for the coming months.

Among these, the 'Playtesting Agent' detects bugs before you even hit publish. The 'Analytics Agent' lets you ask questions about your game in plain language to get immediate insights, saving you a trip to the dashboard. Meanwhile, the 'Experiment Agent' suggests tests to boost engagement, retention, and monetization.

Vlad Loktev, Chief Product Officer of Creator Ecosystem at Roblox, stated that the goal is to make these tools accessible to everyone, regardless of their experience. According to Loktev, while the new agent tools are meant to offload repetitive tasks for pro creators, Build aims to throw open the doors for millions of users to create and share their own games.

Roblox is doubling down on AI-driven development. They recently launched 'Procedural Models' that generate 3D assets from text or images, allowing creators to tweak structures and details without starting from scratch.

Additionally, 'Cube', Roblox’s proprietary 3D foundation model, can spawn anything from simple props to drivable vehicles from a prompt. Soon, they plan to introduce a 'Scene Generation' model that can build a fully playable 3D environment from a single prompt.

The public alpha for Build kicks off on July 28 for users in New Zealand, with a global rollout expected over the following months. During this test phase, only verified users aged 9 and over can use Build. Games created via Build that pass Roblox’s safety checks will be visible to verified users aged 16 and older globally, though availability may vary by region.

Games created in Build undergo the same review process as any other title on the platform and are subject to the same retention-based recommendation algorithms. The base version of Build is free, with paid tiers offering more advanced features expected to follow.