A native PlayStation 5 version of free-to-play sandbox game Roblox is now available, developer Roblox Corporation announced.
While Roblox was previously released for PlayStation 4, this is the first time a native PlayStation 5 version is made available. The PlayStation 5 version promises smoother and more responsive gameplay with up to 30 percent faster load times.
Roblox is also available for Xbox One, PC via Microsoft Store, iOS, Android, and Quest.
To celebrate the new release, creators behind some of the most popular games on Roblox shared their thoughts on the native PlayStation 5 version with PlayStation Blog:
Designed for Console
Even though Roblox makes it easy to publish across different platforms, every creator we spoke to wanted to make sure their games felt as fun to play on a controller as they do anywhere else. That meant tweaking things like menu navigation to button layouts, and in some cases, it even inspired the creation of entirely new systems. Just ask Wingboy0, creator of the competitive 3D melee fighter Dueling Grounds. In a game where a perfectly-timed parry can mean the difference between victory and defeat, getting the controls right was top priority.
“When Dueling Grounds was early in development, I spent a lot of time playtesting other console games on Roblox to better understand what players want from a high-quality action game,” said Wingboy0. “That led me to build the camera lock system so you never have to constantly readjust where you’re facing. You can focus purely on fighting your opponent.”
Just as important as the controls is also figuring out clever ways for cross-platform players to communicate with each other. Take for example BlushCrunch Studio’s hit roguelike, mascot-horror game Dandy’s World. When a Twisted is closing in on a fellow Toon, the last thing you want is to be scrambling for a way to warn them. That’s where stickers come in handy.
“Typing quickly on a console isn’t easy, so we created a way for players to chat and emote using stickers,” said Dandy’s World lead engineer KingMobMedia.
JoeyStix, president of BlushCrunch, continued, “[The sticker system] was a huge win for us, since it meant console players could now communicate with mobile and PC players just as easily as they could on a keyboard.”
Those are just a couple of ways Wingboy0, KingMobMedia, and JoeyStix have been approaching console development. And that’s just the start—now that Roblox is available natively on PlayStation 5, they have even more opportunities to add an extra layer to your immersion thanks to the DualSense controller’s cutting-edge haptics. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.
A New Level of Detail
The DualSense is just one part of what makes PlayStation 5 an exciting platform for studios, indie teams, and solo creators alike on Roblox. Visually speaking, PlayStation 5 is also a chance to show off their games in a new light. Case in point: NFL Universe Football. If you haven’t played, it’s the only officially licensed arcade football game on Roblox where you can join your friends and hit the gridiron together as any of your favorite NFL teams. We asked Voldex, the studio behind the game, to tell us what they’re looking forward to most now that Roblox offers native PlayStation 5 support.
“NFL Universe Football already feels incredible on console, so being able to scale it up with the added power and performance of PlayStation 5 is really exciting,” said clxr, lead engineer at Voldex.
itsjtech, Senior Product Manager at Voldex, agreed, noting they can add more content to the game without worrying about major performance hits: “The door is wide open for us to test the boundaries on what’s possible. I’m excited to see how we can push our visuals even further.”
If you’re looking for something on the spookier side, Scary Shawarma Kiosk‘s got you covered. It’s a cult-favorite horror game where you work a night shift serving increasingly strange and disturbing customers, all while keeping a lookout for any creepy anomalies. That eerie atmosphere feels even more palpable on PlayStation 5, creators kharbor_ykt and Graizorko tell us.
“We finally have a platform that lets players experience the game as we envisioned it,” they said. “The atmosphere comes through much more clearly on more powerful hardware.”
Something for Everyone
For many players on PlayStation 5, this will be their first real look at how much Roblox has evolved over the years. And all the creators we spoke to are ready to make a lasting impression.
“Dandy’s World is really accessible for casual players, but there’s a lot of depth for hardcore players too,” said JoeyStix. “We have over 40 original characters to collect and master, each with their own unique abilities. And with procedurally generated floors and other gameplay elements, each run is different from the last.”
“I think everybody who hasn’t tried Roblox yet will be very surprised by what’s been built on the platform,” said itsjtech. “The characters in NFL Universe Football may look blocky, but the quality of the gameplay speaks for itself. People are shocked when they realize this is on Roblox.”
“We expect to reach players who enjoy atmospheric horror and console gaming but who didn’t previously think of Roblox as a platform for them,” the creators of Scary Shawarma Kiosk told us.
Dueling Grounds creator Wingboy0 said, “The animations, the effort that went into every detail… I think PlayStation players are going to be genuinely impressed by what they find.”