Roblox has come under fire from Wall Street after changing its recommendation algorithm to favour games that retain players long-term rather than those that squeeze the most money out of them quickly, causing its market capitalisation to fall by around $9 billion. The move followed the company's second-quarter financial results, which showed spending within Roblox falling short of forecasts, particularly among users under 13, prompting investor alarm despite the platform's continued popularity with children.

Roblox shares dropped nearly 27% after daily active users slipped to 123 million, down from earlier in the year, while the firm's chief financial officer Naveen Chopra attributed weaker "bookings per hour" to players moving away from heavily monetised viral hits, such as Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot, towards new or long-running experiences that earn less per hour. Chopra also warned that planned investment in AI-powered features, including Build, Roblox Reality and Moments, would push infrastructure costs higher in the near term, adding further uncertainty for investors even as Roblox frames the changes as a longer-term strategic shift.