Oct 31 (Reuters) - Videogame platform Roblox ( RBLX )

raised its forecast for full-year 2024 bookings on Thursday, as

it continues to benefit from robust spending within its virtual

worlds.

Roblox's ( RBLX ) free-to-play model has been attracting significant

consumer spending on its platform despite a wider slowdown in

gaming activity.

The company, which primarily relies on user-generated

content, also has been trying to attract older users by

incorporating more mature games on its platform in an attempt to

tap into a wider player base.

Daily active users (DAU), a key metric that determines

engagement, grew 27% - the highest growth rate in around two

years - to 88.9 million in the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Roblox's ( RBLX ) outgoing finance chief, Michael Guthrie, attributes

the growth in DAUs and rise in the number of older users to

improvements in the company's search and discovery algorithms

and frequent content updates from top developers and their

games.

"We're now matching users with content that's just more

interesting and relevant to them, and we're doing that from a

large and growing community of creators. That's a very powerful

dynamic," Guthrie told Reuters.

Earlier this month, Roblox ( RBLX ) was the target of a short seller

report by Hindenburg Research, which alleged that the gaming

platform inflated metrics including user numbers, engagement,

and was not a safe platform for children.

"They're short sellers with a clear agenda," Guthrie said,

adding that the company "categorically rejects the implications"

that Roblox ( RBLX ) is dangerous to the community or it inflates

metrics.

The company reported third-quarter bookings, which

represents the sale of virtual currency, of $1.13 billion,

beating the average analysts' estimate of $1.02 billion,

according to data compiled by LSEG.

It raised its forecast for full-year 2024 bookings to

between $4.34 billion and $4.37 billion from its earlier

projection of between $4.18 billion and $4.23 billion.