“The family-friendly digital experience will give children access to tools that will enable them to become confident creators and offer amazing play opportunities in a safe and positive environment,” the couple said in a joint statement today. The details are minimal on the ground, but it seems like a major commitment to Lego’s digital future and a huge win for Epic Games to trust the infamous brand that is safe for children. What will Epic’s Lego game look like? Immediately, the echo of the live Roblox sandbox comes to mind – and here you can see why Lego emphasizes child safety so much in its announcement. Roblox has been hugely successful among young people, but has also come under fire for its child-safety features, the way it monitors inappropriate content, and the way it compensates content creators. “For 90 years the Lego Group has been inspiring generations of children through play through the endless creative possibilities of Lego brick, which remains at the core of its business,” the press release reads. “The company is a leader in defining safe digital gaming experiences for children, including the development of an industrial digital child safety policy with UNICEF and the release in 2016 of the first fully-fledged social application for children’s social application.” Work on the project is still in its infancy and today Lego and Epic Games have just announced an agreement on three principles that will guide its construction:
Protect children’s right to play by making safety and well-being a priority. Protect children’s privacy by putting their best interests first. Empower children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.
The Lego video game offering is dominated by licensed releases developed by TT Games over the years – such as Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga just released this week – but has also licensed its brand to others to have dealt with different, sandbox-style games in the past, such as Lego Minifigures Online and Lego Universe. There is absolutely no suggestion that Lego content will be integrated into Fortnite, Epic’s main crossover franchise. “The Lego Group has captured the imagination of children and adults through creative play for almost a century, and we are excited to come together to build a metaverse space that is fun, entertaining and made for kids and families,” said Epic boss Tim . said Sweeney today. “Kids enjoy playing in the digital and physical worlds and moving smoothly between the two,” added Lego boss Niels B Christiansen. “We believe there is a huge potential for developing lifelong skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication through digital experiences. But we have a responsibility to make them safe, inspiring and beneficial to all. Just as we have protected children’s rights to safe “A natural game for generations, we are committed to doing the same for digital gaming. We look forward to working with Epic Games to shape this exciting and playful future.”
