Roblox has removed Rent-A-Girlfriend from its creator licensing catalog, two days after naming the anime as one of four new Kodansha properties available to developers on the platform, Dexerto reported.
Roblox announced the expansion of its licensing platform on September 12. The program lets eligible creators use established entertainment brands in their experiences and sell licensed game passes and developer products, with rights holders receiving a share of that revenue. The original Developer Forum post listed four Kodansha franchises: Fairy Tail, Rent-A-Girlfriend, Knights of Sidonia and Ghost Encyclopedia. The announcement covered creator licensing only and did not confirm an official Rent-A-Girlfriend game.
Rent-A-Girlfriend follows a college student who rents a girlfriend after a breakup. Dexerto noted that although the series is categorized as a romantic comedy, BBFC classifications for several of its episodes flag strong sex references and sexualized imagery.
Players questioned the fit
The announcement drew criticism from Roblox players and creators, according to Dexerto. Replies on the forum asked how developers could use the property without breaking Roblox's rules on dating and sexual content. Some users argued the license should be restricted to adults, while others said the anime's central premise could not be represented accurately on an all-ages platform. A screenshot shared on the forum appeared to list the property's maximum content maturity as Restricted.
Roblox's Restricted Content Policy allows age-checked users over 18 to access some romantic themes and nonsexual love, but prohibits sexual activity, nudity, sexually suggestive behavior and using the platform to pursue real-world romantic relationships. Roblox staff replied on the forum that all licensed content must follow the platform's Community Standards, and that romantic themes must also comply with the Restricted Content Policy.
The lineup was edited two days later
On September 14, Roblox edited the forum post and retitled it "Licensing Platform Update: In-Game Sales License and 3 New Kodansha IPs."
After further review, we've adjusted the initial lineup to three Kodansha franchises.
Rent-A-Girlfriend no longer appears in the list, which now names Fairy Tail, Knights of Sidonia and Ghost Encyclopedia. Roblox did not explain what prompted the review or say that player criticism caused the change. Dexerto reported that users on X and Reddit described the move as a reversal, with one Reddit post highlighting that the license had appeared and disappeared within roughly two days.