17 Apr 2025 11:52 PM +00:00 UTC

Roblox Is Being Sued Over a Viral Dance Collab Gone Wrong

Roblox is under fire yet again, this time over a TikTok dance that went viral and ended up in one of its games without an official deal.

The lawsuit is from Kelley Heyer, who created the "Apple" dance that took over social media in 2024 and was even featured during Charli XCX's live sets.

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Heyer alleges that Roblox incorporated her choreography into its Dress to Impress game during a Charli XCX-themed update, even though licensing talks had not been finalized.

According to court filings reviewed by Polygon, Heyer was in discussions with Roblox in mid-2024. She was contacted by the platform regarding the licensing of the "Apple" dance once Charli XCX's label became involved in the crossover.

Heyer responded positively to the deal and was willing to license the dance as early as August 12. The dance was up and running in the game just days later, though no contract had been signed.

According to reports, Roblox maintained the sale of the emotes until November, with over 60,000 sold and an estimated $123,000 in revenue. Heyer says she didn't see a dime of that revenue.

Heyer's prior copyright application for the dance before Roblox began selling the emote gives her a more solid legal case compared to earlier dance lawsuits that were dismissed for failing to register properly or having unclear claims.

In fact, the entertainment industry has had a rough track record when it comes to dance IP lawsuits. In response, Roblox has said it takes intellectual property seriously and stands by its handling of the matter.

A spokesperson told Polygon that the platform supports creators and will make its case in court. On the other hand, Heyer's legal team maintains that she had no other recourse but to sue after Roblox wouldn't finalize the agreement.

With Roblox now hosting more registered accounts than the world's population, how it handles creator rights is more important than ever.

For the time being, the "Apple" emote is unavailable, but the legal drama is far from over.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Gaming News and Roblox page.

Ashlee Manalang

Night Team Writer

God of Guides

It’s not exactly written all over her, but Ashlee’s a gaming nut. It all started with classics like GTA and Diablo, and she’s been all in ever since. Ashlee loves getting wrapped up in any FPS and survival horror game she can get her hands on.

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