News summary produced by Claude AI
Roblox announced that it is shutting down Roblox Connect, a video calling service that the company introduced in 2023. The platform allowed users to conduct video calls while represented by their Roblox avatars, which could replicate real-world movements and gestures during conversations. Users were also able to interact together in shared virtual environments while on video calls.
According to a company spokesperson, the discontinuation affects both the developer-facing APIs associated with the service and the consumer-facing feature itself. The decision reflects user behavior patterns, as the company found that individuals aged 13 and older predominantly rely on an alternative offering called Party Voice for making calls.
Roblox noted that Party Voice provides private voice chat functionality that is more capable and better aligned with how players currently use the platform. To access Party Voice features, users must undergo age verification through Roblox to confirm they are at least 13 years old. This age requirement appears designed to provide additional safety protections for minors using the platform.
When Roblox initially unveiled Connect, the company indicated plans to make the technology open source, though confirmation of whether this step was completed remains unclear. The shift away from Connect toward Party Voice suggests the company is consolidating its communication tools around features that better meet user demand and align with its safety and accessibility priorities.