Roblox to launch on PS5, PS4 next month with avatars, AI assistant, more

Roblox update: The popular online game platform and creation toolset Roblox will be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in October, the company announced at the 2023 Roblox Developers Conference (RDC). The game will be free to download and will offer access to the full catalogue of Roblox experiences. Roblox is already playable on PC, Mac, iOS, Android and Xbox, but not on Nintendo Switch or Meta Quest VR headsets. However, the company said that it will release a VR version of Roblox for Meta Quest later this month, after a successful test run. The company also hinted at a possible Switch release in the future, as CEO David Baszucki mentioned the Nintendo device as a potential platform during an August earnings call.

However, the company’s spokesperson denied any imminent plan to release Roblox on Switch. “We want Roblox to be on all devices, anywhere around the world. At this time, we currently have no imminent plans to have Roblox available on the Nintendo Switch,” spokesperson Roman Skuratovskiy said in a statement to The Verge.

The PlayStation release of Roblox was reportedly delayed by Sony’s concerns over child safety issues, as a document leaked last year suggested that the console maker did not want to host the game. Roblox has faced criticism for its moderation policies and its exposure of young players to inappropriate or harmful content.

In addition to expanding its availability, Roblox also introduced some new features for its service at RDC. The company unveiled a video chat feature that uses Roblox avatars for one-on-one conversations with other users. The company also announced a chatbot called Roblox Assistant that uses generative AI to help users plan builds, write code, create virtual assets and more. The chatbot can automatically generate scenery, objects and characters based on user input. Both the video chat and the chatbot are expected to roll out in the next few months.

Meanwhile, the annual subscription plans for PlayStation Plus have become more expensive in India. This follows the global announcement that Sony made at the end of last month. The price hike in India is higher than the global one (by up to Rs 2,850), while the global one was only up to Rs 3,300.