- Kyle Chua
Epic Games Joining Forces With Lego To Build Kid-Friendly Metaverse
Epic Games and The Lego Group on Thursday, 7 April, announced they’re partnering up to create a metaverse that’s safe and fun for children and families.
The two companies didn’t reveal any details or a timeline for the project. However, if we were to guess, the supposed long-term partnership leverages the distinct strengths of both brands to realise that vision of a kid-friendly virtual space.
For those unfamiliar, Epic Games is the developer and publisher behind the massively popular Fortnite, which itself has already been described as an early version of the metaverse. The game features crossovers with countless licensed properties and has become a place where gamers can hang out.
The Lego Group, meanwhile, is the company that produces the Lego brand of toys. And this partnership is not the first time that the manufacturer will be venturing into digital experiences and products. The Danish company has long been licensing its brand of plastic bricks to various series of games.
Epic and Lego have agreed to adhere to three principles in the development of the project. These are:
Protect children’s right to play by making safety and wellbeing a priority.
Safeguard children’s privacy by putting their best interests first.
Empower children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.
The two promise to build a digital experience that will “give kids access to tools that will empower them to become confident creators and deliver amazing play opportunities in a safe and positive space”.
There has been a lot of talk about companies wanting to create their own versions of the metaverse, from tech titans like Meta and Microsoft to entertainment heavyweights like Bandai Namco and Roblox, but this seems to be the first time that a project is openly marketing towards children and families. And that could help the project stand out, given how a lot of technicalities remain up in the air when it comes to the metaverse concept.
Epic Games and The Lego Group announced they’re joining forces to create a metaverse that’s safe and fun for children and families.
The two companies didn't reveal details or a timeline for the project yet.
They promise to build a digital experience that will "give kids access to tools that will empower them to become confident creators and deliver amazing play opportunities in a safe and positive space".