Fortnite maker teams up with Lego for a kid-friendly metaverse

polygon.com:

Fortnite and Unreal Engine developer Epic Games is teaming up with The Lego Group to develop a family-friendly and kid-safe metaverse, the companies announced Thursday. Their “family-friendly digital experience” promises powerful creative tools and “amazing play opportunities in a safe and positive space,” according to a joint announcement from the companies.

Epic and Lego’s plans for the metaverse sound as ambitious as they are currently vague; the companies say they plan to build “an immersive, creatively inspiring and engaging digital experience for kids of all ages to enjoy together” as part of their long-term partnership.

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But one aspect of the announcement is crystal clear: This new metaverse is designed with children’s safety in mind first and foremost. The companies say they have agreed to three principles that drive the project:

While the project does not have any specifically announced products or timeline for release, it’s easy to see how Epic and Lego’s past projects — and those of likely competitors Roblox and Minecraft — will inform the new kid-friendly metaverse. Epic Games has evolved Fortnite from a me-too battle royale shooter into something far more, well, meta. Fortnite is now home to concerts starring the likes of Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, and Marshmello, movie events, a yearslong metanarrative, and a creative sandbox mode where players can build their own spaces with their own game rules.

The Lego Group has similarly built its own creative sandbox games, including 2017’s Lego Worlds, a procedurally generated and player-created space where Lego brick enthusiasts can customize game worlds to their will.

Epic and Lego have one other thing in common: licenses. Fortnite and Lego have deals