Fortnite-developer Epic Games and Lego partner to build a metaverse aimed at kids

techcrunch.com:

Fortnite-developer Epic Games announced today that it’s partnering with Lego to build a metaverse aimed at kids. The companies say they are going to shape the future of the metaverse to make it safe and fun for children, while building an immersive digital experience for kids to play in.

While the companies didn’t go into detail about their plans for this virtual world, they outlined three principles that they say will ensure the digital spaces they develop are safe. The two will work together to make children’s safety and wellbeing a priority, to safeguard children’s privacy, and to equip children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.

“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,” Epic CEO and founder Tim Sweeney said in a press release.

Sweeney has previously said he sees the metaverse as a kind of online playground where users could play games, such as Fortnite, and watch movies on Netflix together.

In today’s announcement, Sweeney said the digital experience will be family-friendly and empower children to become confident creators. He noted that two companies will combine their experience to ensure that this next iteration of the internet is designed with the wellbeing of kids in mind. There’s no word on what exactly the virtual world would look like or when the two companies plan to launch it.

Learn more here: https://t.co/rtrckV9UJm pic.twitter.com/rsDDjgXEq7

— Epic