Roblox Corp. (RBLX.N), a U.S. video gaming platform, has taken down its Chinese app, which served as a front for its expansion attempts in the country, telling Reuters that it was part of “a series of significant transitory steps” as it worked on its next edition.
The LuoBuLesi app, which Roblox debuted in July in collaboration with a Tencent Holdings affiliate (0700.HK), was removed from mainland app stores on Dec. 8. When users check in, the app now displays a message thanking them for utilizing the beta version.
The app’s importance to Roblox’s expansion in China was prominently discussed in the company prospectus for its New York stock exchange listing in March, which saw the gaming platform valued at nearly $30 billion.
A Roblox spokesperson late on Thursday that the move was necessary as it builds the “next version of LuoBuLeSi”, but did not say when the app would return.
“We always knew that building a compelling platform in China is an iterative process, and we are thankful for the support of LuoBuLeSi users and our global developer community,” a Roblox spokesperson said.
“It is critical that we now make the necessary investments, including investments in our data architecture, in order to realize our long-term vision.”
Roblox is notable for its virtual world technology, which is today referred to as the “metaverse.” Users can develop and play games, as well as participate in virtual ‘events,’ on the LuoBuLeSi platform, which is different from Roblox’s global version.
Several individuals expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, claiming they were unaware it was a test. According to Sensor Tower, a data analytics business, the app has been downloaded 1.7 million times.
At the end of 2020, regulators granted LuoBuLeSi the required licenses to operate in China.
