Skip to main content

Blog Archive

Game Passes “Raking It In” for Some ROBLOX Developers

September 26, 2012

by Andrew Haak


Archive

Game Pass

Early last week, ROBLOX launched Game Passes, which give game developers a simple, new way to leverage an old trick – charging players for access to premium abilities and content – and further profit off their creations. We’ve seen hundreds of developers add Game Passes to their games, and some have proven very successful, for very different reasons.

Top Grossing Game Passes

We dug into our Game Pass data to find out what passes have been successful so far. What’s interesting about the top three most profitable Game Passes is that they use varying price structures and incentives to turn a profit.

Crimson Katana Game PassCrimson Katana Game Pass (75 Robux, 4,000+ sold)

So far, the Crimson Katana Game Pass is the top earner. While it’s only 75 Robux, it has sold enough to generate TheGamer101 more than a quarter million Robux. The pass unlocks a highly powerful (and otherwise impossible to obtain) Crimson Katana sword in Sword Fighting Tournament. 75 Robux might be a sweet spot for an exclusive sword.

This is similar to the premium gear that’s offered in many modern, massively multiplayer games. Some games make special gear available even to unpaid members, but for an extremely high in-game price. This requires they spend a lot of time playing the game and earning the money needed to buy the prized item.

PokeBlox Admin Commands (380 Robux, 250+ sold)

This game pass affords purchasers access to administrator commands in PokeBlox, a game by cosmonova1. While it has sold less in terms of volume than the Crimson Katana Game Pass, at roughly five times the price it has still generated more than 100,000 Robux.

Fort Borealis Game PassFort Borealis Premium Access (600 Robux, 100+ sold)

The Fort Borealis Premium Access pass is a more affordable alternative to some of Fort Borealis’ VIP t-shirts, but it’s still the most expensive of the top three passes. It lets purchasers access gun-coloring abilities and gives a 25% experience and aurem (the in-game currency) boost.

Many multiplayer games offer experience boosts as an incentive. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, for example, often hosts double-experience weekends to lure in former players and hook current players, and keep everyone moving up in their successful player-rank system. It’s not surprising to see ROBLOX users leveraging similar incentives to sell Game Passes.

Another Interesting Game Pass

Midnight Traincrash Turbo VIP Card (99 Robux)

This Game Pass gives purchasers access to a special area, with a helipad and the choice of one of three helicopters, and bonus points for rescues in Survive a Traincrash or be Rescued. It stands out among the crowd because it offers really unique, compelling and useful benefits for a fair price.

Survive the Traincrash

While browsing existing Game Passes, we noticed that some might see additional success by offering a more detailed description of the perks. Instead of saying little more than “admin commands,” let potential buyers know what those admin commands are and what interesting powers they give owners. A little honest promotion could go a long way toward a more popular and profitable Game Pass.

For more information about Game Passes and how to create one of your own, see our blog post about their launch. You can learn more about integrating Game Passes into your game using this ROBLOX Wiki article.