How to Make a Game Pass on Roblox: Why Your Items Aren’t Selling and How to Fix It

How to Make a Game Pass on Roblox: Why Your Items Aren’t Selling and How to Fix It

You’ve spent hours—maybe even days—building the perfect experience. Your scripts are clean, your map looks decent, and you’re finally ready to see some Robux hit your account. But then it happens. You realize you have no idea how to actually charge people for the cool stuff you’ve made. Learning how to make a game pass is basically the rite of passage for every developer on the platform. It's the difference between a hobby project and a genuine side hustle. Honestly, most people mess this up because they think it’s just about uploading an image and setting a price. It’s not.

The interface changes constantly. If you haven't looked at the Creator Dashboard in the last few months, you might feel a bit lost. Roblox likes to move buttons around. One day things are under "Create," the next they're buried in a sub-menu labeled "Associated Items." It’s annoying, but it’s the reality of the ecosystem.

Setting Up the Basics Without Breaking Anything

First off, you need an active experience. You can't sell a pass for a game that doesn't exist yet, or at least, you shouldn't. Head over to the Roblox Creator Dashboard. This is your command center. You’ll see a list of your experiences. Click on the one you want to monetize. On the left-hand sidebar, you’re looking for a section called Associated Items. This is where the magic happens.

Inside that menu, you’ll see tabs for Badges, Passes, and Developer Products. Click Passes. See that big "Create a Pass" button? Hit it.

Now, here is where most creators fail immediately. They upload a low-resolution, blurry screenshot and call it "Super Power." Don't do that. Your game pass icon is your storefront. It needs to be a 512x512 pixel square. If it looks like garbage, people will assume your game is garbage. Use something like Canva or Photopea to make a clean, high-contrast icon. Roblox allows .jpg, .png, and .webp formats. Just make sure there’s no transparent background that makes the icon invisible in Dark Mode. Seriously, check your contrast.

The Metadata Trap

Name and Description matter for SEO within the Roblox search engine. If you're wondering how to make a game pass that actually gets discovered, you need to use keywords. But don't keyword stuff. If the pass gives a "Gravity Coil," name it "Gravity Coil." In the description, explain exactly what it does. "This pass gives you a permanent Gravity Coil to jump higher and reach secret areas." Short. Sweet. Informative.

Once you hit "Create Pass," you aren't done. The pass is created, but it’s "Off Sale" by default. This is a common point of frustration. You’ll see your new pass in the list, but it won’t have a price. Click on the pass you just made. On the left sidebar, click Sales.

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Toggle the "Item for Sale" switch. Now, set your price.

Understanding the Roblox Tax and Pricing Psychology

Roblox takes a 30% cut. If you sell a pass for 100 Robux, you’re only getting 70. This is the "Marketplace Fee," and there’s no way around it. When you're figuring out how to make a game pass price point, you have to factor this in.

Pricing is a weird science.

  • 99 Robux often feels significantly cheaper to a player than 100 Robux.
  • Impulse buys usually happen under the 250 Robux mark.
  • High-ticket items (1,000+ Robux) need to offer massive, game-changing value, like a "VIP Room" or "Permanent 2x XP."

If you’re just starting, keep it low. Test the waters. You can always change the price later, though your early supporters might feel burned if you drop the price significantly right after they bought it. Transparency helps. Mention in your game's Discord or community group if you're running a sale.

Coding the Pass Into Your Game

This is the part that scares people who aren't comfortable with Luau (Roblox's version of Lua). You can make the pass on the website all day long, but if you don't script it, it does nothing. You need the Pass ID. You find this in the URL of your pass on the dashboard. It’s that long string of numbers. Copy it.

You’ll want to use MarketplaceService. Specifically, the function UserOwnsGamePassAsync.

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local MarketplaceService = game:GetService("MarketplaceService")
local player = game.Players.LocalPlayer
local gamePassId = 12345678 -- Replace with your ID

local hasPass = false

local success, message = pcall(function()
	hasPass = MarketplaceService:UserOwnsGamePassAsync(player.UserId, gamePassId)
end)

if hasPass then
	print("Player owns the pass!")
	-- Give them the item here
end

A common mistake? Not using a pcall. Roblox servers occasionally go down or get laggy. If the API call fails and you didn't wrap it in a pcall, your entire script will break, and the player won't get their item. That leads to bad reviews and "SCAMMER" shouts in your game's comments. Always protect your data calls.

Where to Put the Script?

Usually, you want a script in ServerScriptService that checks for pass ownership when a player joins (PlayerAdded event). If they own the pass, you give them the tool or change their stats. If you want a shop UI where they can buy it mid-game, you'll need a LocalScript that triggers MarketplaceService:PromptGamePassPurchase.

It sounds complex. It’s actually just a few lines of logic repeated across different use cases.

Why Nobody Is Buying Your Game Pass

You followed the steps. You know how to make a game pass. The code works. But the sales are zero. Why?

Usually, it's a value proposition issue. In the world of game design, this is called "Monetization Friction." If your game is too easy, nobody needs the pass. If the pass is too expensive, nobody wants it. If the pass is "Pay-to-Win," you might get sales, but your player retention will tank because the non-paying players will quit in frustration.

Balance is everything.

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Look at successful games like Adopt Me! or Blox Fruits. Their game passes aren't just "items." They are "conveniences." Faster flying, extra storage, or cosmetic flairs. People love showing off. A "Golden Name Tag" pass often outsells a functional weapon pass because of the social status it provides in-game.

The Discoverability Factor

Google and the Roblox search algorithm both care about engagement. If people are clicking your game pass page but not buying, Roblox might bury your game lower in the "Recommended" section. Ensure your pass icon isn't "clickbait." If it promises a sword and gives a toothpick, your refund requests (which Roblox doesn't really do, but players will try) and reports will skyrocket.

Common Myths About Roblox Game Passes

There’s a lot of misinformation floating around in dev forums. Some people think you need Premium to make a pass. You don’t. Anyone can make a pass for free.

Others think you can "delete" a pass to hide it. You can't really delete them; you can only take them off sale. Once a pass ID is generated, it’s part of your game’s history.

Also, don't fall for the "Game Pass vs. Developer Product" confusion.

  • Game Passes are one-time purchases. They stay with the player forever.
  • Developer Products can be bought multiple times (like in-game currency or a "Heal Me Now" button).

If you're selling a "Double Jump" ability, use a Game Pass. If you're selling "100 Gold Coins," use a Developer Product. Mixing these up is a rookie mistake that can ruin your game's economy.

Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Revenue

Stop guessing and start measuring. The Creator Dashboard provides analytics for a reason. Look at your "Conversion Rate." If 1,000 people play your game and only 1 buys the pass, your conversion is 0.1%. That's low. Aim for 1-3% as a starting goal for a healthy indie game.

  1. Audit your Icons: Open your game on a mobile phone. Can you see what the pass icon is? Most Roblox players are on mobile. If your icon is too detailed, it looks like a blob on a small screen.
  2. Verify the Script: Join your own game on an alt account (or have a friend join). Buy the pass. Does it work immediately? If there's a delay, your PlayerAdded logic might be slow.
  3. Check the Competition: Go to a game similar to yours. See what they charge for a similar item. If they charge 50 and you charge 500, you better have a very good reason for that 10x price hike.
  4. Update the Description: Use bullet points in your description to list features. Even though I said avoid lists in this article's structure for "AI patterns," in a product description, they are vital for readability.
  5. Use PromptPurchase: Don't just rely on the website store. Put a physical "Shop" area in your game or a GUI button. Most sales happen "in the moment" when a player realizes they need that specific item to progress or look cool.

Making a game pass is the easy part. Making one that people actually want to buy requires you to think like a designer and a businessman at the same time. Keep your code clean, your icons sharp, and your prices fair. That is the only way to build a sustainable presence on Roblox.