This might be a dumb question, but with all the new community created content, are these items able to be used to create characters in games? I’m just wanting to make sure so I don’t get flagged for copyright. I don’t have the money to pay someone to create characters, and a lot of the items on the catalog are pretty good.
Community created content is not free to use - that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pay for it however.
Most of the time just getting permission is enough. Just a few days ago I gave someone permission to use a UGC item I made - they simply asked via a direct message, and I gave them permission.
This is super easy and should be done for all asset types to respect creators and protect yourself, because failing to do so can open up issues such as DMCA takedowns and strikes.
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Would all items (packages/hats) created by Roblox be considered free to use?
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Just a question of interest with no disrespect intended:
Is there anything actually in the TOS / Any previous moderation action concerning developers use of UGC items without the maker’s consent? Since I would have believed if we can access the mesh then we should be allowed to use it. Obviously its courteous to ask for the creator’s consent but is it actually obligatory?
Also, how would it work in catalog games? Surely if people are automatically loading the entire catalog it would be impossible to ask for creators consent as every new item is added.
As stated, no disrespect intended im just curious 
@Hollistic as far as i’m concerned, yes. People have been using roblox catalog items for a long time and i’ve never heard of any cases of someone being banned for it. Id imagine roblox actually endorses using their pre-made items.
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It doesn’t matter if you can get access to the mesh or not. It’s still using someone else’s IP without permission.
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It depends on what terms they were published to the roblox catalog under, hence my questions of confusion since I think roblox has heavily underreported the can’s and can’t of UGC.
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Good question! UGC creators retain their IP for the items they make - the staff members in charge assured us of this if I remember correctly.
In addition to that, @Badandy11 is right - having access to IP (that isn’t Roblox’s) does not mean you have permission to use them. Whether or not the IP owner files a DMCA takedown request is risk you take.
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Thanks for clearing up some of my questions!
I still have concerns about how this works with catalog games which automaticallly load and let users try on every item of the catalog, would these games still be breaking tos?
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This isn’t relevant to the Terms of Service since that’s a Roblox internal thing, it’s if the IP holder files a DMCA for the items in question to be removed, that those items are removed by Roblox, and that game/account gets a strike.
And for clarification, I don’t think any UGC user has filed a DMCA (yet?), because in most cases we either:
- Know a game is using our assets with permission
- Don’t know that a game is using our assets
- Don’t care that a game is using our assets
Or - The owner takes the items out of their game at our request, without having to file a DMCA to Roblox.
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So its safe to just use the assets anyway until we get asked by the creator of the asset to remove it from our game?
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You’re really breezing over the part saying that you need permission.
Just ask before you use assets made by someone else. Be professional. Don’t cause unnecessary risk to yourself.
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No, im just really confused over the catagory of games that load the catalog since its impossible to ask permission for assets as they are uploaded.
In reality I just roblox could be a lot more clear about the can’s and cant’s
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Roblox is the third party in this case, so it’s not really their business to say how it’ll work. It’s an agreements between the creator and the game studio. Roblox did their part by saying that our item IP stays under our ownership.
If I found a catalogue game that was using my items in a way I really rather they didn’t, as IP owner that means I can tell them to stop - whatever kind of method they use is up to them and not my responsibility.
This is such an edge-case situation though that doesn’t apply to 99% of games. And noT to mention I would never stop a catalogue game from using my items, since that gives me plenty of visibility.
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Yes I know they have said that to you.
But they have not said that publicly.
Therefor I feel there is a lot of confusion if we are not being told how IP’s and UGC works.
It’s not much use telling the creator of the item they still own the IP, if everyone else does not know that.
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If this is so. Why aren’t clothing creators going out and taking down games that use their clothing? Aren’t they the same thing? Things created by the community uploaded to Roblox and needing payment to wear the item? Im not sure where I stand on this whole thing. I think it’s very petty to be taking down whole games because they are using a hat that you submitted to Roblox to be uploaded to the catalog and in return, you get paid on what is sold.
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It is up to the IP holder to enforce their ownership of their IP so that is why games may not be taken down due to having clothing made by other people. As well, you don’t know if these games requested permission to use them.
I don’t understand how this is so hard to understand, if you don’t own it, you can’t use it without permission. If someone who made clothing and a game uses it without permission, they can request the game to be closed down due to them using something that they don’t have permission to use. It’s the same thing as using music you don’t have permission to use.
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Think of it like this, you worked hard on an item that you had to pay for right? Then somebody took it for free and used it in your game, I am not sure if it is against the roblox TOS, but I think it is disrespectful to not even bother to ask permission.
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I also find the functionality provided by Roblox very confusing in regards to catalog items. If they didn’t want games to use the items, why is item ownership not baked into the usage of the item ‘in game’ as it is in the avatar customization web interface. It seems to imply that they are condoning ‘in game’ usage of any catalog item since they allow it. Isn’t the creator of Catalog Heaven a Roblox employee? Did he ask for permission from every creator of every gear in the catalog?
I was under the impression that they allowed this to encourage players to buy the item if they want to wear it everywhere, in any game.
If its not encouraged or allowed, they should add player ownership checks and automated purchase prompts into the accessory attachment code for catalog items that are not priced as free.
I don’t think anyone answered the question of whether Roblox owned non-free items are free to use ‘in game’. I don’t think they’re gonna want to field all the inquiries for permission to use for each asset they own and from all the game makers.
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