Almost every popular game on Roblox is multiplayer, so your child will usually be playing alongside people they don't know. In my reviews this falls under the atmosphere theme: what it's actually like to play with other people. It's the theme that changes most from one day to the next, because it depends on who's in the server, not just on the game.
The different ways children can talk
Text chat in games. Most games have a chat box, often in the top left corner, with local chat for people nearby and sometimes a global chat for the whole server. Roblox filters this chat for things like swearing and personal information. Roblox also uses age checks to limit who younger players can chat with, so in many games chat is grouped by age band. That's why I can't always see every conversation when I review a game.
Direct messages let friends message each other outside games.
Voice chat. Some games support voice. On Roblox, voice chat is only available to older users who have completed an age check, but it's worth knowing which games use it, especially if you have a teenager.
Chat built by the game itself. Some developers make their own chat systems that look different from Roblox's. Roblox's parental controls only cover Roblox's own chat. When I see a different-looking chat box, as in Block Tales, I flag it, because I can't always tell how it's filtered.
Talking outside Roblox. Many games have communities on Discord, video sites or social media. Those spaces sit outside Roblox's moderation, and some ask players to join to claim a reward.
What children actually experience
Most of the time, chat in the games I play is harmless: "gg", "help me", "anyone want to team?" But some patterns come up again and again.
Trash talk and moaning. Insults, sniping and complaints, often with swear words masked by asterisks. Competitive shooters and fighting games are the worst for this. Rivals and Forsaken are examples.
Griefing. Deliberately ruining other people's games: trapping, flinging, stealing or blocking. In some games it's part of the design. In Something Evil Will Happen, players earn points for sabotaging each other. Steal an Egg rewards taking from others.
Ganging up and taunting. Groups targeting one player, then dancing or using emotes over them after they've been beaten. I saw this most clearly in Jujutsu Shenanigans, which I'd call Roblox bullying.
Social hangouts and role-play. Some experiences have no real game at all, just a space to chat and role-play, like Experience Abstraction. These put conversation with strangers at the centre, which is why I rate them older even when the content itself is gentle.
Peer pressure to spend. Players asking you to buy a revive, join their team or pay for something to "help" them. I felt this clearly in 99 Nights in the Forest.
Off-platform invites. Players or games inviting people to Discord servers, groups or other apps. That's where the risks get more serious, because the protections Roblox offers no longer apply.
The settings that help
In Roblox parental controls you can:
- decide whether your child can use experience chat at all (under-9s need your consent)
- decide whether they can direct message (under-13s need your consent)
- limit friends chat to all friends, trusted friends only, or no one
- control who can see they're online and join them
- control private servers, which are invite-only and often quieter.
Some games also let you mute chat, hide other players' messages, or play solo. My parental controls guide walks through it step by step.
The rules I'd agree with any child
Settings help, but the strongest protection is your child knowing what to do. These are worth saying out loud, and repeating now and then:
- Never share personal information: real name, school, address, phone number, passwords or photos.
- Never move a conversation off Roblox to another app or Discord without asking you first.
- Nobody gets your password, not even a friend, and not for "free Robux".
- If someone makes you uncomfortable, leave. You can block and report them, and you won't be in trouble.
- Mean messages are about the sender, not you. Mute, block and move on.
- Tell an adult if anything worries you, even if it seems small.
What to do if something goes wrong
- Stay calm and thank your child for telling you. If they get in trouble for telling you, they may not tell you next time.
- Block and report the player on Roblox using the report option on their profile or in the game.
- Keep evidence with screenshots if something serious has happened.
- Tighten settings for a while if needed, and explain why.
- Get support if you need it. In the UK, the NSPCC and CEOP offer advice for parents, and children can talk to Childline on 0800 1111.
Is playing with strangers always bad?
Not at all. Plenty of children have great experiences teaming up with people they've never met, and learning to cooperate, lose gracefully and handle the odd rude comment are real skills. The goal isn't to shut it all down. It's to match the settings to your child's age and confidence, and to make sure they know they can always come to you.
Check the atmosphere score for any game in the Game Directory to see what I found when I played.