In July, online gaming company Roblox hired dancers in cosplay outfits to perform at its Shanghai opening ceremony, marking the start of its much-vaunted attempt to crack the Chinese market. At the time, the company proclaimed it would provide a “hyper-digital” and “boundless world” for its new users.
Four months on, Roblox is struggling to make a dent in China, in the face of regulatory barriers and stiff competition.
“Roblox has gone very quiet on its opportunity in China,” said Neil Campling, head of tech research at Mirabaud Securities. He believes that Beijing’s move in August, which restricted young people to playing between 8pm and 9pm on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, has hit the company’s plans for growth.