One of the most complex product transitions we completed during my Roblox tenure was the phaseout of one of our two virtual currencies. At the time, Roblox had one currency tied to the U.S. dollar—Robux—and another that could float—Tickets. Tickets were acquired through site visits to incentivize daily engagement, and Robux were purchased directly by users.
Tickets had run their course. We no longer needed to incentivize daily engagement. Tickets also encouraged botting and hacking (a testament to our community’s talents and enthusiasm). Additionally, the product complexity of dual currencies inhibited innovation. Removing Tickets, though, was a daunting challenge. It took away a beloved feature, was a pervasive technical and product extraction, and had the potential to negatively impact our revenue. There was no one more suited to this challenge than Christina Shedletsky, well known at Roblox for her work ethic, tenacity, and smarts. She was also among the most experienced with our virtual economy, having launched our virtual goods catalog (avatar clothing and gear) with John Shedletsky.
Christina developed a comprehensive plan that spanned the tech stack, product feature set, virtual economy, business strategy, analytics, community, and messaging. She thought through every detail and involved internal stakeholders in all key decisions. She also sought feedback, not only across the company but also across our community. Ultimately, her plan was a masterful combination of strategy and execution, culminating in a one-month community transition that converted a takeaway into a mini-game.
Instead of simply explaining the decision and moving forward, as most would, Christina hosted a celebration of Tickets, creating exclusive, limited-edition virtual goods available only to Ticket holders. The approach was not just fun but also intentionally economic. The increased demand for Tickets offset the devaluation effects of their phaseout (if Tickets phased out without this demand creation, they would immediately become worthless compared to Robux). By the end of the transition, active users had burned through their Tickets in exchange for virtual goods that forever established them as “early Robloxians.”
The transition was a complete success, changing my hopes from a do-no-harm outcome into a realized community win. Of course, some players still missed Tickets, but there was no debate about Christina’s commitment to the community and thus Roblox’s commitment. Christina’s mastery furthered Roblox’s differentiation in community commitment and engagement, which in turn fueled community loyalty and retention.