Roblox shop update makes user-created content harder to find
A recent Roblox shop update that changes the search functionality may make it more difficult for users to discover and purchase avatar items from independent creators. As a result, Robloxians are lashing out over the update and questioning the sandbox game’s commitment to its creator community.
“Roblox has removed the ‘Community Creations’ category from the Avatar Shop. All UGC accessories and clothing are now combined with Roblox-made items under their specified categories,” the Bloxy News Twitter accountfirst reported on August 15.
The change initially appears minor but could have a significant impact on discoverability. Players no longer have an easy way to separate community creations from Roblox creations. While Roblox still allows people to search for avatar items by ‘Roblox,’ ‘All Creators,’ and specific creators by typing in their username, there’s no option to search for only creators.
Some Robloxiansthink this puts an extra barrier that makes it increasingly difficult to discover avatar items from up-and-coming user-generated content creators. By including these UGC with Roblox-created goods, visual real estate that would have highlighted items by independent creators instead shows items directly from Roblox.
“The removal of Community Creations is not only a disaster for creators discoverability but also a tragedy for users trying to find the best the avatar shop has to offer,” Twitter user Reverse_Polarity shared. “I cant imagine what they’re thinking by removing it but it hurts everyone and helps no one.”
In practice, the lack of the ability to sort by ‘Community Creations’ is already having an impact. In the ‘View All Items’ category, when filtered by ‘All Creators,’ the first 82 items that show up are free
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