Roblox (RBLX 0.52%) has been a controversial investment for many investors. On one end, it has pioneered the unique business model that combines user-produced games, social networking, and a digital economy, demonstrating an early version of what the metaverse could look like.
Yet, investors have reservations about Roblox's dependence on selling Robux (its digital currency) for revenue. So, its recent partnership announcement could be a major step toward addressing investors' concerns.
Image source: Getty Images.
Roblox partners with Google to scale immersive advertising
At the recent IAB Playfronts 2025 conference on advertising, Roblox unveiled a significant step forward in its advertising strategy; rewarded video ads will soon be available for programmatic and direct purchase through Alphabet's (GOOG 1.16%) (GOOGL 1.32%) Google ad platforms. This partnership gives Roblox instant access to a broad network of brands and agencies, making it far easier to scale immersive ads across the platform.
Rewarded video ads let users voluntarily watch up to 30 seconds of full-screen video in exchange for in-game rewards, like power-ups or currency, offered by the game's creators. Early tests were promising, with average completion rates exceeding 80% and some experiences over 90%, suggesting that users see real value in the exchange.
By integrating with Google Ad Manager, Roblox can meet advertisers in places where they already buy ads, which helps in removing friction and expanding reach. This rollout also unlocks a new revenue stream for Roblox and gives creators another way to monetize their content while enhancing user engagement.
As for Google, this partnership helps it expand its immersive ads offerings, having now added video formats in both Google Ad Manager and AdMob. In short, it's a win-win-win for the parties involved.
Why the partnership could be game-changing
The partnership with Google could be transformative for several reasons. By integrating with Google's ad infrastructure, Roblox becomes accessible to millions of advertisers who are already using Google Ads. This approach helps Roblox quickly scale its advertiser base with very little investment instead of building its advertiser base.
If this partnership is successful, it could lead to even deeper collaboration in the future, transforming Roblox from a niche gaming platform into a mainstream digital ad platform, much like YouTube did years ago.
Equally important is that by rolling out rewarded video ads, Roblox is accelerating its efforts to grow its advertising revenue. This will make its revenue more recurring and sustainable than just relying on taking a fee on the transactions made on its platform. Doing that can also boost investors' confidence, making them more likely to invest in the company long-term.
Moreover, this new advertising initiative should be highly beneficial to content creators. For instance, the rewarded video ads let users gain in-game rewards, which could improve the overall user engagement, especially for users who usually don't spend money on a premium gaming experience. Besides, developers can generate additional income from ads inserted in their games. By making developers more successful over time, Roblox ensures that the best developers remain on its platform, sustaining the long-term development of high-quality content.
In other words, this partnership could help turbocharge Roblox's growth machine, allowing it to iterate on its business model as it rides the metaverse trend.
Investors should keep an eye on these areas
While the latest partnership with Google could be game-changing in the long run, it is not a sure thing yet. Roblox must ensure that the ads do not hurt users' experience, especially its younger core audience. The key here is to make sure that the ads add value to gamers' experiences -- or at least do not reduce them.
Similarly, Roblox must balance advertising (and the nature of the advertising content) with regulatory and safety issues. Failure to do that could impact the relationship with parents and regulators. In other words, the tech company must balance making extra money and user experience. Equally important to monitor is advertisers' return on investment (ROI) over time. If advertisers can't generate a sufficient return, they are unlikely to double down on Roblox.
In short, Roblox must execute well in the coming quarters to achieve the desired outcome from this partnership.
