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Roblox Forecasts First Ever Bookings Decline as Shares Plunge

The company says recent changes to its recommendation system and tighter age checks are deliberate investments in safety and retention that have reduced near-term demand.

Overview

  • Roblox projected third-quarter bookings of $1.58 billion to $1.65 billion, marking the first year-over-year bookings decline in the company's history and prompting it to withdraw full-year guidance.
  • The market reacted sharply, with shares falling nearly 27% in a single session and about $9 billion in market value erased following the July 31 earnings and guidance update.
  • Company changes made in April routed users toward retention-focused games and tightened age verification, which analysts say shifted players away from fast-monetizing viral hits and slowed new sign-ups.
  • Roblox still reported growth in headline metrics — revenue rose about 36% year-over-year and daily active users reached 123 million — but bookings, which measure near-term player spending, came in at $1.557 billion and landed at the low end of guidance.
  • Analysts cut ratings and price targets, with Deutsche Bank lowering Roblox to Hold and setting a $38 target, and investors will watch U.S./Canada spending per hour, bookings per hour, age-verification progress, and creator monetization to judge whether retention changes convert to future revenue.