Important Update on the Accelerator Program

[RoughSphereBlox (Rough)]

Hey Developers,

We wanted to update you that we will be sunsetting our Accelerator Program.

The Accelerator Program was founded in 2015 as a method to collect feedback from the community. Since then, the program has gone through many changes and Developer Relations has introduced a number of ways to listen to your feedback. The Community Feedback program, for example, is designed to gather a diverse group of active and trusted developers to collaborate with Roblox internal teams.

Over time, the Accelerator Program evolved into a training program for up-and-coming creators to help them develop new experiences. We have since produced Level Up content that shares key learnings on Game Design and other relevant topics. We have also introduced the Game Fund to fund innovative next-gen experiences.

Lastly, with COVID-19, the program went remote to adapt to a changing world. This resulted in a surge of international participants and opened our team’s eyes to what supporting creators globally can resemble. At the same time, we increased our investment in the Roblox Developer Events program that allows Roblox creators from around the globe to host events virtually and share their knowledge with the broader community.

We have come to realize the Accelerator Program is no longer well suited to serve our diverse, global community and will wind down the program, concluding with the Fall 2022 cohort. In the coming months, we plan to publish much of the content offered to previous Accelerator classes to benefit the entire community.

We are still here and constantly brainstorming new ways to support the community. The Accelerator team, @AL1CEB0T, @chewbeccca, @LuluSpookyPanda, @m4rrh3w, and myself, are excited to continue helping Roblox developers and creators.

Thank you to the community and all our incredible Accelerator participants over the years. We couldn’t have done it without you and we hope you’re just as excited as we are for future opportunities for connecting, collaborating, and creating on Roblox.

[colbert2677 (ImagineerColbert)]

The Accelerator Program was a fun journey that helped my team learn new skills and approaches to familiar problems, allowed us to connect with amazing program staff and other accelerators both alumni and those in the same class. Not to mention a wicked sick hat and the nice paycheck with the technology bonus. It also provided strong connection with various teams at Roblox about our roadblocks with development.

Current feedback and developer investment programs are really powerful and I can see why it’s time for the program to come to an end. As long as developers continue to have a strong venue for product and engineers, all good from my end. I’ll come to miss the program (and lack of a second round!) but I enjoyed my time with the program and the time I spent with the people I met there.

Thanks to the programs team for all the support they gave us during the program! We’ve now all decelerated.

[berezaa (Bereza)]

RIP the Accelerator program. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that myself and others were given to come in and create experiences within the incredible environment and culture of Roblox, and for all of the incredible people I was able to meet in the process. I hope that this is not the end of this experience forever.

[Ukendio (Marcus)]

Yikes. Can’t say that I am surprised, but this is disappointing. For many, this program has made it possible for them to work on their passion projects by enabling developers financially and providing mentorship. But most importantly, it was the connections that you made with people in the program. Trying to stay optimistic for whatever comes next but it is hard.

[CrimsonForce (Kyle)]

This breaks my heart. I wanted to see you all again

[Sonostrano20 (InceptionStrange)]

it is really a pity that this program will be removed but I am sure that roblox will make new programs with different purposes in order to give everyone a chance to get involved

[Musketfall]

Was a great honour working alongside you guys and the rest of the Fall 2022 cohort.

Now time to cry

[Noble_Draconian]

Ok, let’s look at the list!
unrolls scroll

• QA, gone
• Stars, gone
• Dev awards, stalled / functionally gone
• Accelerator, gone
• Playfab, gone

Yeah, this is great. Love having directly beneficial programs constantly being sunset or shutdown with no replacement, all the while Roblox goes on about “respecting the community”.

If the goal here is to keep us on the platform, it isn’t working.

[Ralphie0511]

This was honestly unexpected. The Accelerator Program seemed like fun. I wasn’t around in 2015 when it first released, and it seemed like it was amazing while it lasted. I can’t believe Roblox is continuing to pull this off while Roblox developers are struggling now more than ever to get a game off the ground. From what I have read and seen online, you were giving money to people to help them build great Roblox games:

“The Accelerator Program will provide up to five individuals over $13,000 each (plus over $1,000 for technology) to work on a new or existing Roblox Experience full-time for 12 weeks. Roblox can contract your team as a company, or contract each individual of your team.”

Are you sure this isn’t another move to cancel out indie devs in favor of mega corporations on Roblox? It truly is sad the direction you guys are going in with all this “metaverse” crap. I’m sorry, but it must be said. I’m certain anyone can create the so called “metaverse” in less than 2 months time. This is just making it even harder for Roblox developers to put themselves out there and make valuable connections to the Roblox platform with other developers. Nice job “Respecting the Community” btw, you guys are doing great by shutting down or sunsetting the few programs that can help Roblox developers succeed!

[Quenty]

It’s hard to say how many teams the accelerator program forged, or how many games in the end came out of it. It’s really defined a set of Roblox’s community. We’ll see if future programs will live up to its legacy.

Potentially the end of an era.

[Rocky28447 (Rocky)]

This is an L. Flat out. You’re going to get a ton of former accelerators, including myself, on this thread who cannot imagine future up-and-coming small teams not having the incredible opportunities we had in terms of being able to not just kickstart our games, but forge professional connections directly with Roblox, and this decision is completely unfair to those same future teams.

[GeorgeOfAIITrades]

My Accelerator program experience, albeit not what I thought it’d be [I was Spring 2020, got 4 days in the HQ office before going remote due to the COVID-19 outbreak], was life changing to say the least. Opened my eyes to the idea of being a Project Manager / Producer after my time as an Accelerator Team Lead. Along with it, the ability to come to California & stay in the bay ever since has opened doors to friendships I would not otherwise have. Leading up to the program, I had jumped college to college, never making it stick, and was a bit downtrodden with the world but the Accelerator program presented a huge swing upward for me in my life. The past nearly 3 years of my life have revolved around what happened when I got into the program.

Thank you to the whole team.
#TeamDan all the way. @Dspav
And @chewbeccca @RoughSphereBlox & @BreakfastCandy were instrumental to my experience too.

Even though it’s over, I’ll always remember it.
Thank you everyone along the way!

[Roball1 (Roball)]

The accelerator program is where I created some of my fondest memories and strongest friendships, it’s a sad day to see it go but I wanted to say thank you to the accelerator program and the team behind it for creating such a great environment for us to flourish in while there and post-internship! Hopefully there’s more to come in the future, because this is such a great program for developers to form long lasting connections!

[WooleyWool (AWildWooleyWool)]

This program has meant so much to me!! I’ve learned so much that I can apply everywhere now with all the talks and skills I have gained throughout this time. Summer Accelerator was a pinnacle for me and my career, I got to meet so many developers and got to interact with many staff members. I will forever cherish every moment we had during that time. I hope to continue growing and see our accelerator game gain a bright light in the future. I’m sure that from all the resources and information we’ve received, we will get there and shine bright!! Thank you so much for this opportunity, I never thought I’d be able to get this far in my career. You all have done a wonderful job with our class!!

[Spathi]

This is disheartening, my game wouldn’t have gotten as far along as it did without the funding and knowledge provided by the accelerator program. Thank you for the opportunity and I’m glad I was able to get in just before the program got shutdown, I met a lot of cool people and had a lot of fun.

I MEAN

GREAT UPDATE ROBLOX!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! KEEP IT UP!! WOO!!!

[GeorgeOfAIITrades]

You can come out to the Bay any time to see folks lol.
We touch grass & be social sometimesssssss.

[ToldFable (fable)]

NOOOOO!

I was really looking forward to hopefully one day joining Roblox’s accelerator program, after college. Looks like I missed my chance.

My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.

[EverSoull (Erick)]

Had an amazing time during the program when I interned in 2019, sad to see it go. I am grateful that I was able to meet so many amazing people during my time there. Hopefully there will be future opportunities similar to the program in the future.

[aaron_mccoy (PleaseDontBanAaron)]

Rest in Peace Accel Program, you were the gateway for me joining the Roblox ecosystem. You will be dearly missed.

<3