On Friday, Roblox announced the launch of a short video sharing feature called "Roblox Moments" at its developer conference. This feature, similar to TikTok, is designed for sharing game highlights. At the same time, the company also announced several major updates, including increased creator earnings, new AI tools, and performance optimizations.

The Roblox Moments feature is currently available for testing to users aged 13 and older. Users can capture game clips, edit them, and share them in a scrollable feed. Videos can be trimmed up to 30 seconds long, with background music added and descriptions written before being published.

This feature also allows users to browse game moments shared by the community, interact with videos using emojis, and jump directly to the corresponding game experience from the video. Later this year, Roblox plans to open API-based features that will allow creators to build their own in-game creation and discovery systems, such as showcasing popular clips and game highlights, or creating leaderboards for impressive overtakes in racing games.

To ensure content is appropriate for all age groups, Roblox will gradually roll out the feature to test and improve its moderation system. All content must go through review before being published, and users can also report inappropriate videos.

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Regarding creator earnings, Roblox has increased the developer exchange rate, with creators earning 8.5% more when converting Robux to cash. Now, 100,000 Robux can be exchanged for $380, compared to $350 previously. The company stated that the average income of the top 1,000 developers is close to $1 million, which is 2.9 times higher than in 2020.

In terms of AI tools, Roblox has introduced multiple new features to enhance creative freedom and development efficiency. Creators can now generate fully functional objects, not just static 3D objects. For example, entering the prompt "a stylish futuristic red sports car" will generate an interactive drivable car, and creators can further customize details like opening the car door.

Starting next year, Roblox's real-time voice translation feature will support instant translation between English, Spanish, French, and German. Additionally, the newly launched text-to-speech and speech-to-text APIs will help creators create more immersive interactive experiences. The text-to-speech API offers 10 customizable English voice presets, which can be used for NPC dialogues and other scenarios; the speech-to-text API supports voice commands, allowing players to trigger game actions by saying "fire."

In terms of performance optimization, Roblox has introduced the "server authority" mode, reducing in-game cheating and making physical interactions more realistic. Character movements will also be more natural, including actions like running, climbing, and jumping over obstacles, as well as more complex hand-grabbing actions.

The company also plans to introduce improved features that will allow the platform to run with higher fidelity on various devices without requiring creators to make extra efforts or sacrifice performance.

These updates come after Roblox recently announced the expansion of its age estimation technology and collaboration with the International Age Rating Coalition to introduce age and content ratings for games and apps on the platform. These initiatives are taking place amid the company facing lawsuits related to children's safety.