Leaked Roblox documents detail Chinese censorship concessions, expectations it would be hacked Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Leaked Roblox documents detail Chinese censorship concessions, expectations it would be hacked "Expect them to be successful." News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Published on 25 Jul 2022 15 comments Roblox planned numerous concessions to Chinese state censorship and expected its game be hacked and cloned by Chinese companies as part of its launch in the country, an astonishing cache of leaked internal documents has revealed. The details, published by Vice, come from documents recently obtained by a hacker and held to ransom, before being posted online. Vice has said it has published these details to shine a light on the lengths that Western companies can be forced to go to if they decide to enter the Chinese market. Revelations revealed in the report include instructions to Roblox employees in one internal presentation to "expect that hacking has already started" and that it would "ramp up after a deal is signed, possibly even by [Roblox's] partner". Watch on YouTube A trailer for Roblox. Indeed, there are eye-opening accusations by Roblox that it expected its own partner Tencent to clone the game and launch its own version, and that "hundreds of people" would likely be set on reverse-engineering Roblox code sat on Chinese servers. "Expect them to be successful," the presentation concluded. A presentation given to Roblox by Tencent, meanwhile, included demands that the game "respect the integrity of the country and not misrepresent the Chinese territory", including recognising areas "prone to errors" such as Taiwan and Tibet. Roblox was also warned it "must not tamper with historical facts" - presumably, as China sees them - and not include "images or names of national leaders". Vice's report makes clear that there is no evidence Tencent did target Roblox. Roblox's Chinese version, named LuoBuLeSi, launched in July 2021 but was shut just five months later. "The slide you reference was from 2017, before we had a formal joint venture relationship in place," a Roblox spokesperson told Vice, in reference to the presentation on Tencent hacking the company. "As normal for a company entering into a new market, we consider risks and opportunities and plan for them. "Roblox policy is to comply with the laws of the regions in which we operate, including China." Roblox has yet to announce its plans to return to China. As you'd expect, Vice's full report is well worth a read. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 8 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store