Roblox has just taken a giant leap beyond phone and PC screens in March 2026. Baobab Studios, an award-winning production company backed by giants like Disney and Comcast, has secured exclusive rights to turn three of the platform's biggest phenomena into animated franchises. The list includes the hits Natural Disaster Survival, Barry"s Prison Run, and the RPG Deepwoken, which will now come to life in long-form formats.
Led by Eric Darnell and Maureen Fan, Baobab selected these projects based on their narrative potential and the surreal engagement they maintain with Brazilian and global audiences. Meanwhile, the original game creators will be directly involved in development, ensuring the essence of the user-generated experiences is preserved on screen. This move follows a strong trend of transmedia expansion, following in the footsteps of other hits like Jailbreak.
Impact Statistics of the Selected Games
- Natural Disaster Survival: One of the longest-running titles on Roblox, surpassing 4.1 billion visits since its launch in 2008.
- Barry"s Prison Run: Quickly rose as a franchise candidate, generating over 42 billion minutes of player engagement.
- Deepwoken: Stands out as the most successful paid-access title in the entire Roblox ecosystem.
Expansion and Strategy
The decision to adapt these specific worlds was no coincidence, as the access numbers prove the community's loyalty. For example, Barry"s Prison Run reached the milestone of 4.1 billion visits in just four years, a rare feat in the industry. Additionally, Deepwoken, developed by Monad Studios, has already accumulated nearly 1.5 billion visits despite being a paid game, demonstrating a fan base willing to invest time and money in the brand.
Thus, Baobab Studios positions user-generated game ecosystems as the new frontier for developing major intellectual properties. With backing from heavyweight investors, the studio aims to turn what were once just game mechanics into deep, engaging narratives for streaming and cinema.