Predicting the Popularity Level of Roblox Games Using Gameplay and Metadata Features with Machine Learning Models

The online gaming platform Roblox has become a significant player in the gaming industry, providing a space for user-generated content. Predicting the popularity of Roblox games can help developers design better games and optimize user engagement. This study explores the use of machine learning models to predict the popularity of games on Roblox using gameplay features and metadata. A dataset of 9,734 games was collected, including variables such as likes, visits, game age, and active players. Three machine learning models, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting were employed to predict the number of favorites, which serves as a proxy for game popularity. Among the models tested, Gradient Boosting outperformed the others, achieving the highest R-squared score (0.85) and the lowest Root Mean Squared Error (11,470). Key features such as likes, game age, and visits were identified as the most influential in predicting game popularity. Based on these findings, this study recommends that developers focus on features that increase player engagement, such as regular updates and optimizing game exposure. Additionally, incorporating additional data sources, such as user reviews, and exploring explainability methods like SHAP can further improve model accuracy and transparency. This research contributes valuable insights into how machine learning can support decision-making in the development and optimization of Roblox games.