This API is currently on display in ROBLOX Battle, so feel free to open it in Studio and see how it looks.

[Update: developers who use this feature now earn one ROBUX per five ad impressions, rather than 20. Read on for more information!]

In an ongoing effort to give our developers features that they can use to earn ROBUX off their game creation efforts, we’re proud to present a great new earning technique: in-game mobile video ads. Starting now, game creators are able to utilize a new API that allows their game to display a video ad to mobile players on supported iOS and Android devices. And, as with most of our features, the creative control and deployment of this particular addition will be entirely up to you, our builders and developers. Let’s talk a bit about the ramifications of this feature, and go over some best practices when implementing it in your game.

Best practices

You can’t play an ad more than five times in an hour, in any mobile instance. We may raise or lower this number once we see how the ads play out.

GUIs will be extremely important in getting your ads out. Make sure players know they are seeing an ad and that gameplay will begin once it’s over. Maybe something that says, “and now a word from our sponsor,” or “gameplay sponsored by…”

Make sure players inside your game don’t take damage or get knocked out while they are watching an ad (this could be as simple as giving them a forcefield while the ad plays).

Always show ads when it doesn’t interfere with gameplay (like between rounds, before the game starts, or after a player gets knocked out).

Get started today

Implementing video ad impressions in mobile gameplay sessions offers a variety of positive things for ROBLOX developers. First, and most simply, the more hits your ad gets, the more ROBUX you earn (at a rate of one ROBUX per 20 impressions). So if you’re trying to utilize the heavy traffic you receive in your game, we recommend using the API to call the commercial before your game starts. For those who already have a hit game, this this could function as supplemental income.

Let’s think bigger picture. You can tie the API call to, say, a button inside your game, which will only play the ad when pressed. Many ROBLOX players want to earn exclusive items for your game, but maybe can’t afford them. Perhaps you can tie one of those items into the ad — can’t afford the Green Balloon? Here’s another option: watch a 30 second ad. The player gets the item, you get the impression, and the cycle continues that way. Maybe your game is round-based. Why not play an ad between rounds? That’s easily 20 impressions just while waiting for the next level to load. And more ad impressions means more ROBUX in your pocket.

As with many of our newer features, we’re tinkering with a ratio that is fair — 20/1 seems reasonable now, but watching how this plays out in the ROBLOX economy will help us determine a more accurate ratio if warranted. If you’re interested in trying this out, our latest Wiki entry is a great place to start. Even if you’re an experienced Studio builder, we still recommend using the Wiki entry as a frame of reference when implementing this feature. Lastly, remember that ROBLOX Battle is open-sourced, meaning you can pull it apart in Studio and see how the API is working there.