Epic Games and The LEGO Group will create a digital playground in Metaverse for kids
The LEGO metaverse is arriving. Read more about Epic Games and The LEGO Group's vision for the kids in metaverse here.
Epic Games announced a long-term partnership with The Lego Group to create a digital playground for kids in the metaverse. The studio that developed Fortnite plans on making the metaverse “safe and fun for children and families” with the help of The Lego Group.
The Lego Group is primarily a toy company that built the iconic lego toys and remains the world’s largest toy company in terms of revenue. The concept of LEGOs has been widely adopted across pop culture. There are movies, toys and video games that feature the characters and stories of famous franchises in their LEGO versions. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the latest game to feature LEGO.
Epic Games and LEGO hope to create a family-friendly digital space that allows kids access to a variety of games and tools to explore. The companies feel that providing this access “will empower them (kids) to become confident creators and deliver amazing play opportunities in a safe and positive space.”
CEO of The LEGO Group, Niels B Christiansen, believes there’s a huge potential for kids to develop “life-long skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication through digital experiences”. Niels added to his statement that companies like Epic Games and The LEGO Group “have a responsibility to make them safe, inspiring and beneficial for all. Just as we’ve protected children’s rights to safe physical play for generations, we are committed to doing the same for digital play.”
Niels B Christiansen also said he’s looking forward to “working with Epic Games to shape this exciting and playful future.” Tim Sweeney, CEO & Founder of Epic Games, shared his excitement to work together and build this digital space.
Epic Games wants to create a “fun, entertaining, and made for kids and families” space in the metaverse. The Fortnite creator wants to enable other developers so that they can also create “age-appropriate experiences online.”
Their blog also mentions the acquisition of SuperAwesome in 2020. The company highlighted SuperAwesome’s pioneering technology that is designed to deliver “safe digital engagement with children under 16.”
The LEGO Group has also worked with UNICEF in the past to build a Digital Child Safety Policy. It defines guidelines to ensure a safe digital play experience for children.
The companies agreed to three principles as key to ensuring that the digital space they wish to create is safe and sound for children.
Here are the three principles:
1. The companies would protect children’s right to play and prioritise safety and wellbeing.
2. Safeguard children’s privacy and prioritise the best interests of children.
3. Empower children and adults with tools that provide control over their digital experience.
There are not many details provided about how the partnership would create this ‘digital playground’ but it will be interesting to see what Epic Games and The Lego Group have in store for the metaverse. The metaverse is the most ambitious project to create a virtual space. The highly-anticipated metaverse consists of endless possibilities.
The ease of access to the internet and all its dark, shady corners is likely to increase with the arrival of a completely digital world. Hence, the partnership between Epic Games and The LEGO Group could prove to be a relief for parents who wish for their children to engage in a safe and moderated environment.