Start with Roblox Studio, the free tool built into the platform

To create something on Roblox, you read and open Roblox Studio, which is the design program that comes with your Roblox account. It runs on Windows and Mac. When you open it, you see a blank workspace where you can build 3D environments, add objects, write code, and test your game before other players see it.

You do not need to pay anything to use Studio or to publish a game. Roblox makes money when players spend Robux (the in-game currency) on cosmetics or passes inside your game — you keep a percentage of what they spend. For now, focus on building something playable first.

Key Takeaways

  • Roblox Studio is free and built into your account; read it from the Roblox website and sign in with your username and password.
  • Every game starts with a baseplate, terrain, and parts that you drag, rotate, and position to build the world your players will explore.
  • Lua is the scripting language Roblox uses; you write code in the Script Editor to make things move, respond to clicks, or award points.
  • Test your game inside Studio before publishing so you can walk around, jump, and check that doors open and buttons work the way you intended.
  • Publishing moves your game from private to public; other players can then find it in the Roblox catalog and play it.

read Studio and create your first place

Go to the Roblox website, sign in to your account, and look for the "Create" button in the top navigation. Click it, then select "Create New" or "Start Creating". You will see options to read Roblox Studio for Windows or Mac. Run the installer and follow the prompts.

Once Studio opens, you are prompted to create a new place. A place is a single game world — your first game might have just one place, or it might have a lobby, a level, and a shop spread across multiple places. For your first project, choose a starter template like "Baseplate" or "Blank". Studio loads a basic 3D workspace with a ground plane and some default lighting.

Build your world with parts and terrain

The left side of Studio shows the Toolbox, which holds parts — cubes, spheres, cylinders, and other shapes you can drag into your world. Click a part in the toolbox, then click in the 3D view to place it. Once placed, you can move it by dragging, rotate it with the rotate tool, or resize it by pulling its edges.

For terrain like grass, hills, or water, use the Terrain Editor (the paintbrush icon in the top toolbar). Select a material like grass or sand, choose a brush size, and click and drag in the 3D view to paint terrain. You can also use the eraser to carve out caves or valleys. Terrain is faster than building with individual parts when you want natural-looking landscapes.

As you build, use the middle mouse button to rotate your view, scroll to zoom in and out, and hold Shift while dragging to pan. Save your work often — use Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac).

Write scripts to make things interactive

A game with only static objects is not much fun. To make doors open, buttons work, or enemies move, you write Lua scripts in the Script Editor. Lua is the language Roblox uses, and you do not need to be a programmer to start — straightforward scripts are only a few lines long.

Right-click a part in your world (for example, a door) and select "Insert Object" → "Script". A new script window opens. Type code like this to make the door disappear when a player touches it:

local part = script.Parent part.Touched:Connect(function(hit)   part:Destroy() end)

This script listens for a touch event, then destroys the part. Save the script, and the behavior is live in your game. The Roblox Developer Hub (developer.roblox.com) has tutorials and code examples for common tasks like detecting clicks, awarding points, or spawning objects.

Test your game before publishing

Before other players see your game, test it yourself. Click the green "Play" button in the top toolbar. Studio switches to play mode, and you control a character in your world. Walk around, jump, click buttons, and check that everything works the way you designed it. If something is broken, click "Stop" to return to edit mode, fix the problem, and test again.

Testing catches mistakes early — a door that does not open, a button that does not respond, or a spawn point in the wrong place. Spend time in play mode walking the entire map and trying every interactive element. Ask a friend to test it too if you can; they will find things you missed.

Publish your game to the Roblox catalog

Once you are happy with your game, publish it so other players can find it. Click "File" in the top menu, then "Publish to Roblox". A dialog box opens asking for a game name, description, and whether the game is for all ages or 13+. Fill in these fields, then click "Create".

Roblox reviews your game to make sure it does not break the rules (no hate speech, no stolen assets, no real-money transactions without permission). This usually takes a few minutes to a few hours. Once approved, your game appears in the Roblox catalog, and players can search for it by name or browse it in categories.

Your game is now live. Players can join, and you can watch how many people play it and how long they stay. Use this feedback to improve your game — add new features, fix bugs, or redesign areas that feel boring.

Monetize your game with passes and cosmetics (optional)

If you want to earn Robux from your game, you can sell game passes (one-time purchases that unlock features) or cosmetics (hats, skins, or emotes that players buy for their character). To add a game pass, go to your game's settings on the Roblox website, click "Monetization", and create a new pass. Set a price in Robux, write a description, and publish it.

In your game's script, you check whether a player owns the pass before letting them use a feature. For example, a VIP pass might unlock a secret room or give a speed boost. Keep prices reasonable — most successful games charge between 50 and 500 Robux for a pass, which is roughly $0.50 to $5 USD.

You do not have to monetize your first game. Many creators build several free games before adding passes, so they understand what players want first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know how to code to make a game on Roblox?

No, but it helps. You can build a world with just parts and terrain, and players can explore it. To make things interactive — doors that open, buttons that do things, enemies that move — you need to write scripts. Roblox has tutorials for beginners, and the community shares code snippets you can copy and modify.

Can I use models or scripts other people made?

Yes. The Roblox toolbox includes free models, scripts, and plugins made by the community. You can insert them into your game and modify them. Always check the creator's terms — some assets are free to use, others require credit or payment. Never copy someone's entire game or claim their work as your own.

How do I invite friends to test my game before I publish it?

Click the green "Play" button to test it yourself, or click the "Run" button to let multiple people join from your friends list. In Studio, go to "File" → "Settings" and set the game to private while you are building. Once you publish, change it to public so anyone can join.

What happens if my game breaks or I want to take it down?

You can update your game anytime by making changes in Studio and clicking "File" → "Publish to Roblox" again. To remove your game from the catalog, go to your game's settings on the Roblox website and click "Make Private" or "Delete Game". Players who already bookmarked it can still access it if it is private, but it will not appear in search results.

How much money can I make from a game on Roblox?

It depends on how many players join and how many buy passes or cosmetics. Roblox takes a cut, and you keep the rest. Some creators earn nothing; others earn thousands of dollars a month. There is no may provide, and it takes time to build an audience. Focus on making a game people want to play, and the money follows if it happens.