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Roblox feels like a modern phenomenon, but it has been around for roughly two decades. If you are wondering when Roblox came out, the honest answer has layers: it was started in 2004, tested in 2005 and opened to the public in 2006. This page lays out the timeline and explains why different sites quote different years.
Key facts at a glance
- Roblox was started in the mid-2000s by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, and it launched publicly in 2006.
- It began under an earlier name before becoming Roblox.
- The company later listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RBLX.
- Growth accelerated sharply in the 2020s as more creators and younger players joined.
Quick answer
Roblox was launched to the public on September 1, 2006. Its development began earlier, around 2004, when David Baszucki and Erik Cassel worked on a physics-based sandbox project known as DynaBlocks. Most histories place the rename to Roblox and the start of beta testing in 2005.
Roblox timeline
- 2003 to 2004: early prototypes and the DynaBlocks concept. Some sources also mention an earlier name, GoBlocks.
- 2004: the company is founded and the team builds the first version.
- 2005: DynaBlocks is renamed Roblox, a blend of robots and blocks, and beta testing begins.
- September 1, 2006: the platform is publicly launched.
- 2010s: creator tools, the Robux economy and mobile and console versions expand the audience.
- 2026: new age-based account types, Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, roll out globally.
When was Roblox created?
This is the same question with a different answer depending on what you count. If you count the first work on the idea, the answer is 2003 to 2004. If you count the company and the first version, it is 2004. If you count the public release that most players would recognise, it is 2006. That is why you will see all three years online, and why low-quality sites sometimes contradict each other.
What year was Roblox released?
Use 2006 for the public release and 2004 for the founding. If a quiz or school project asks for one year, check which event the question means. Some sites incorrectly state a September 1, 2004 release date; the well-sourced date of September 1 belongs to 2006.
How long has Roblox been out?
Counting from the 2006 public launch, Roblox has been available for about twenty years as of 2026. Counting from the 2004 founding, the company is a little older than that.
When did Roblox become popular?
Early growth was slow. Accounts of the early years describe players arriving gradually and the platform growing over time, with the biggest expansion coming years later as creator tools, mobile apps and console support arrived. Roblox now reports tens of millions of daily users, though exact figures change every quarter.
Why did Roblox get its name?
Sources describe the name as a blend of the words robots and blocks, adopted in 2005 after the project was first called DynaBlocks.
Who started Roblox?
David Baszucki and Erik Cassel founded it. Both had previously worked on educational physics simulation software, which shaped the physics-driven sandbox feel of early Roblox. See our guide on who made Roblox for more.
Is Roblox still the same game?
Not really. Early Roblox was a small physics sandbox. Today it is a platform that hosts millions of experiences made by other people, with its own currency, safety systems and creator economy.
Why the dates get confused
Three things cause most of the confusion. First, Roblox had working names before it had its final name, so articles that quote DynaBlocks dates look different from articles that quote Roblox dates. Second, a beta period came before the public launch, so a beta date and a launch date are both correct for different events. Third, copied pages repeat each other mistakes, so one wrong year can spread across dozens of sites. When accuracy matters, prefer the company history, major news coverage and well-known reference pages over thin content sites.
How to answer in a school quiz or trivia night
If the question says came out or was released, answer 2006. If it says founded or created, answer 2004. If it says renamed, answer 2005. Adding a short note, such as launched publicly in 2006 after starting in 2004, earns the answer more often than a bare year.
What changed after the launch
The platform grew from a small physics sandbox into a library of player-made experiences. Over time it added its own currency, Robux, creator tools such as Roblox Studio, mobile apps and console versions, and more recently age-based safety systems. Each change widened who could play and who could earn money by making games.
Roblox milestones worth knowing
Beyond the dates, a few developments shaped what Roblox is today. The Robux currency let creators earn from their work. Roblox Studio gave anyone free tools to build. Mobile apps and console versions put the platform on phones and Xbox. Age checks and the Kids and Select accounts reflect a more recent focus on safety. Each step widened the audience, which is why a 2006 launch looks so different from the Roblox of 2026.
What is the short timeline of Roblox?
The idea began as a physics-based building sandbox in the early 2000s. A private beta followed, the product was renamed Roblox, and the platform opened to the public in 2006. Over the next decade it added a developer program that let creators earn real money, then mobile and console apps that widened the audience beyond PC players.
Why does the release date confuse people?
Different sources quote different years because the project had a beta, a rename and a public launch. When someone asks when Roblox came out, 2006 is the commonly cited public launch, while the company traces its start a couple of years earlier. If you need an exact day for a school project, quote the year and name the milestone you mean.
Key terms explained
- Beta: An early test version released to a limited group before the full public launch.
- Direct listing: A way of going public that lists existing shares on an exchange instead of selling a large batch of new shares.
- Experience: The Roblox word for a game or world created by a user.
Frequently asked questions
When was Roblox created?
Development began in 2003 to 2004, the company was founded in 2004 and the public launch was in 2006.
What year did Roblox come out?
2006 for the public launch.
When was Roblox released?
Most sources say September 1, 2006.
How old is Roblox?
About twenty years if you count from the 2006 launch.
What was Roblox called before?
DynaBlocks, with GoBlocks mentioned as an even earlier working name in some sources.
Related Roblox guides
This guide is part of the Roblox History & Company topic cluster in the Roblox Help Center. Keep going with these:
- Who Made Roblox? The Founders and the Story Behind It
- Is Roblox Shutting Down? The Facts for 2026
- Who Owns Roblox? Shareholders, Founders and the Company (2026)
- How to Delete a Roblox Account (Permanently) Step by Step (Accounts & Safety)
- How to Make a Roblox Game: A Beginner Guide to Roblox Studio (Create & Earn)
- Roblox Help Center: all questions answered
- Roblox game hub and gameplay guides
Sources and further reading
Information on this page was compiled from Roblox official help and announcements, Roblox Corporation press releases, and recent coverage from gaming and technology publications. Roblox changes features, prices and policies often, so confirm important details in the official Roblox Help Center.
Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.