How Much Does Roblox Take From Gamepasses in 2024?
As an avid Roblox gamer and content creator myself, I know players are often curious about how much Roblox takes from gamepass sales. I‘ll provide a detailed breakdown based on the latest 2023 policies.
The standard Roblox gamepass commission rate is 30%. This applies to gamepasses, developer products, and most avatar items sold through personal or group accounts. Premium membership does not affect this base rate.
However, there are some exceptions:
- VIP and private servers – Roblox takes a steep 90% cut here
- Non-premium paid access games – Roblox‘s commission is 90%
- Premium paid access games – Roblox takes the standard 30%
Diving Deeper into Commissions and Fees
Let‘s take a more detailed look at payout processes and commission rates across Roblox‘s monetization products:
Standard Gamepasses
| Product | Creator Payout | Roblox Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Gamepasses | 70% | 30% |
| Developer Products | 70% | 30% |
| Avatar Items | 70% | 30% |
Payouts subject to 5-21 day pending period before release to balance
As we can see, the creator receives 70% of revenue from these default catalog items after the initial pending period.
Based on community forums, the average pending time is 5-7 days but can vary depending on purchase volume and other factors.
VIP Servers
| Product | Creator Payout | Roblox Cut |
|---|---|---|
| VIP Servers | 10% | 90% |
| Private Servers | 10% | 90% |
Harsh terms here for server access – creators only receive 10% while Roblox takes a whopping 90% commission. This huge cut makes monetizing private gaming experiences quite difficult.
Paid Access Games
| Type | Creator Payout | Roblox Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Premium Games | 10% | 90% |
| Premium Games | 70% | 30% |
So for paid access games, Premium status makes a 60% difference in creator revenue share – something to consider when pricing this access.
Based on the above, selling premium ingame items is the most lucrative by far. Let‘s see how payout timeframes compare across products…
Payout Timeline Examples
| Product | Sale Date | Pending Date | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamepass | Jan 1 | Jan 4 | Jan 10 |
| Shirt | Jan 5 | Jan 10 | Jan 15 |
| VIP Server | Jan 7 | No Pending Period | Jan 14 |
As shown above, standard catalog items go into pending status for about 1 week before creators receive the balance. However VIP servers, with their 90% commission, skip this holding period.
Now that we‘ve broken down commissions and payouts, let‘s discuss Roblox‘s firm refund policy…
Roblox Refund Policy – No Direct Refunds Allowed
While Roblox prioritizes security and permission checks to prevent unauthorized purchases, they still take an extremely strict stance when it comes to refunds:
"Please contact us before disputing a charge. Once disputed, Roblox will be unable to provide a direct or immediate refund due to the dispute process."
This means chargebacks or forced refunds are not available through Roblox directly. The only way to potentially get a refund is by contacting your bank or credit card provider to dispute the charge.
However, Roblox warns that accounts associated with chargebacks will be automatically deleted. So unauthorized charge disputes come at the risk of losing your account!
They do however recommend contacting Roblox support first in case they can resolve the issue directly without needing to dispute.
Now that we‘ve covered the basics around commissions, payouts, and refunds, let‘s get into some tips for maximizing gamepass earnings…
5 Pro Tips for Boosting Gamepass Earnings
As a developer and entrepreneur myself, I want to make sure you get the most out of your game creations! Here are my top 5 tips for amplifying gamepass revenue:
1. Offer premium cosmetics and perks
Focus your gamepasses on exclusive avatar outfits, cool weapon skins, pets, badges, emotes, abilities etc. These provide great value to players without disrupting core gameplay.
2. Structure multiple tiers
Create gamepasses at 5, 10, 25 robux rather than bundling into one expensive pack. This increases perceived value and purchase accessibility.
3. Incentivize bulk purchases
Provide small discounts like 5-10% off when purchasing 2+ gamepasses to encourage higher spending. Just don‘t discount too heavily.
4. Promote with ads and social media
Invest 10-20% of revenue into ads showcasing your best gamepasses. Post preview images on Twitter, Discord servers, etc.
5. Analyze data and iterate
Use the Developer Stats page to view gamepass sales data. Double down on what‘s working and switch up underperforming passes.
My Take as a Gaming Industry Commentator
As an expert gaming commentator, I believe Roblox strikes a fair balance with its 30% base commission rate. This compares reasonably to competing platforms like Microsoft‘s 12% fee on Xbox games. However Roblox‘s 90% cut on servers and non-Premium games does feel egregious.
I think Roblox realizes harsh refund policies incentivize developers to maximize quality and prevent fraud. But banning accounts associated with chargebacks goes too far in my opinion.
Overall I‘m bullish on gamepass monetization potential in 2024, especially as Roblox continues rapidly expanding its creator economy features and resources.
Let me know if you have any other gamepass questions! Happy developing 🙂
