New York, Jan 21, 2026, 05:29 (ET) — Premarket
- Roblox shares dipped roughly 10% before the U.S. market opened
- An analyst note pointed out there’s no early “material” impact on spending from Roblox’s new age verification for chat
- Investors are eyeing Roblox’s Feb. 5 earnings for a clearer picture of demand in 2026
Roblox Corp shares slipped 9.7% to $78.84 in premarket trading Wednesday.
The shift came after a tough session for growth stocks Tuesday, as fresh trade and geopolitical concerns rattled risk appetite. The Nasdaq dropped 2.4%, and the S&P 500 lost 2.1%, according to the Wall Street Journal. (Wall Street Journal)
Roblox is in focus because investors want to see if the company’s new age-check for chat might slow user engagement or spending. On Tuesday, Oppenheimer kept its Outperform rating and $150 price target, noting that initial checks on top Roblox games found no “material” negative effects yet. Still, they warned the sample size is small and the rollout is fresh. (Investing.com)
Roblox has implemented a global update this month, mandating that users pass an age verification before they can use chat features. The platform now sorts users into age categories to restrict interactions between minors and adults. “By building proactive, age-based barriers, we can empower users to create and connect in ways that are both safe and appropriate,” said Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman in a company statement. (Roblox Investor Relations)
Investors are closely monitoring bookings—a crucial Roblox metric that measures demand for its virtual currency and related spending before it hits the revenue line—for signs of increased friction. Since chat plays a central role in many experiences, changes in user interaction could directly impact both time spent and purchase behavior.
Roblox faces a tough balancing act: it must assure regulators and parents it’s boosting safety, yet also convince investors it can maintain growth. The wider tech selloff only makes the company’s next move more critical.
That early read might still change. If more users put off or skip the age check, or if creators spot less social activity in games reliant on chat to keep players, spending could dip fast — and investors have shown they’re swift to punish growth stocks when the numbers get shaky.
Roblox announced it will release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings after the market close on Feb. 5. A conference call is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. (Roblox Investor Relations)
Traders are zeroing in on that report as the next major milestone: updates on bookings and user engagement, plus any initial clues on whether the chat age-check rollout is hurting growth, making no difference, or something management can spin as a long-term win.
