Lego and Epic Games are partnering to build a “family-friendly” metaverse

The two companies have developed a three-point plan to create their take on the online space

Thursday 07 April 2022 17:13 BST

The toy builder and ‘Fortnite’ developer are working together (The Independent)

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The Lego Group and Epic Games have announced that they are entering a long-term partnership to “shape the future of the metaverse” to make it family-friendly and safe for children.

According to a joint announcement from both companies, this new digital experience is designed to give tools to creators in a safe environment. It’s unclear what definitions of the “metaverse” both companies are using but it’s a strong indication of how the Lego Group intends to grow its digital presence beyond its licensed videogames.

Niels B Christiansen, CEO of The Lego Group said: “Kids enjoy playing in digital and physical worlds and move seamlessly between the two. We believe there is huge potential for them to develop life-long skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication through digital experiences.

“But we 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. We look forward to working with Epic Games to shape this exciting and playful future.”

Epic Games is most well known for being the developer of free-to-play hit Fortnite as well as the Unreal Engine, one of the most popular game engines currently used in the industry.

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games said: “The Lego Group has captivated the imagination of children and adults through creative play for nearly a century, and we are excited to come together to build a space in the metaverse that’s fun, entertaining, and made for kids and families.”

The Lego Group and Epic Games have outlined three principles that they will uphold in an effort to protect children: make safety and wellbeing a priority, safeguard children’s privacy by putting their best interests first and empower children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.

The Lego videogames have been predominantly developed by TT Games, including the recently released Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga on PC and home consoles.

Now that Lego is looking to further expand its digital footprint, we might start to see different types of interactive Lego experiences being introduced as part of its new metaverse platform.