Russia’s “war on games” continues

Russian government blocks Roblox for “LGBTI+ propaganda”

The Russian government has banned access to the popular gaming platform Roblox, citing “LGBTI+ propaganda” as one of the main reasons for the decision. The Kremlin is known in recent years for its war in Ukraine as well as for targeting people, organizations, culture and technology platforms it deems “undesirable” within the country — and now it’s the turn of one of the world’s largest gaming platforms.

According to Roskomnadzor, Roblox, which has an estimated 85 million daily active users, is full of “inappropriate content that negatively affects children’s development,” “incitement to violence,” and “LGBT propaganda.” Russian law defines such content as “extremist,” and these arguments are considered sufficient to block the platform.

The Roblox ban is not unique to Russia. Following China and Qatar, Turkey also blocked the platform in August 2024, citing “child exploitation risks.” However, Russia’s decision is seen as the next step in an expanded censorship campaign, particularly targeting the LGBTQI+ community.

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