Roblox Acquires Speechly: A Voice Moderation Startup for Enhanced Game Safety

Roblox Acquires Speechly to Enhance Voice Chat Capabilities

Two years after announcing plans to introduce voice chat on its platform, Roblox has acquired Speechly, a voice technology startup that specializes in voice chat moderation, real-time transcription, and a Voice API. This acquisition allows companies to seamlessly integrate AI voice technology and voice interfaces into their products and user experiences.

Founded in 2016 in Helsinki, Finland, Speechly aims to enhance online voice interactions and communication. The startup is known for its advanced real-time voice moderation technology, which helps mitigate toxic behavior in online communities. According to a study by Speechly, nearly 70% of gamers have used voice chat at least once; however, an alarming 72% reported encountering toxic incidents.

Roblox is actively embracing voice chat features, initially enabling developers to incorporate voice capabilities into their games. This shift moves away from traditional text bubbles, allowing players to engage in natural, real-time conversations. The latest innovation introduced by Roblox includes avatar-based voice calls with facial motion tracking, enabling users to connect and communicate in virtual spaces. These developments are part of Roblox's strategy to appeal to its maturing user demographic, specifically targeting users aged 17 and up.

Speechly's technology will support Roblox's initiatives by providing AI-powered moderation tools for real-time voice interactions. "Roblox is building the premier platform for 3D immersive communication. Each day, 65.5 million active users visit Roblox to connect, explore, and create memories with friends. The new voice features, including voice chat, address the challenges of moderating spoken language in real-time," stated Speechly co-founder and CTO Hannes Heikinheimo in a blog post.

"Safety and civility are paramount to Roblox. We are thrilled to join a company that prioritizes these values, using our AI expertise to enhance moderation methods that meet the dynamic needs of a user-generated content (UGC) platform," he further added.

Speechly, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has attracted investment from notable firms such as Seedcamp, SNÖ Ventures, TQ Ventures, Cherry Ventures, Quantum Angels, and Juha Paananen, among others. Prior to its acquisition, Speechly raised approximately $7.53 million in funding, including a €2 million seed round in 2019. The company also recently achieved SOC 2 Type II certification, ensuring the security and confidentiality of client data, making it a more appealing acquisition target.

The acquisition details, including financial terms, have not been disclosed. Roblox declined to provide further comments on the acquisition when reached for clarification.

Updated on 9/20/23 at 2:12 pm ET with Roblox's choice not to comment.