Ever since the astronomical success of Fortnite began to result in a plethora of multimedia collaborations for developer Epic Games, new companies from a variety of mediums have wanted to get involved. While it started with concerts and Fortnite Creative maps, Epic’s plans with its partners extend far beyond the reach of just the battle royale hit.
In the next big step for Epic’s metaverse ambitions, it has announced a partnership with The Lego Group to build a space for children of all ages to enjoy an immersive and “creatively inspiring” virtual experience.
While the main goal appears to be constructing play opportunities for kids, the announcement post also details the space offering kids “access to tools that will empower them to become confident creators” as well. Very few details about what exactly this experience might look like are featured at this early stage and the majority of the post serves as a statement of vision for the project going forward.
“We believe there is huge potential for them to develop life-long skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication through digital experiences,” said Niel B. Christiansen, the CEO of The Lego Group, in the joint statement. “But we have a responsibility to make them safe, inspiring and beneficial for all. We look forward to working with Epic Games to shape this exciting and playful future.”
CEO and founder of Epic Tim Sweeney is similarly focused on building an experience with safety as a priority. “We are excited to come together to build a space in the metaverse that’s fun, entertaining, and made for kids and families,” he said.
The announcement goes on to stress Epic’s belief that the metaverse lies at the heart of the internet’s future, and that building age-appropriate spaces with partners such as Lego is fundamental to making the metaverse fully realized. “The LEGO Group and Epic Games will combine their extensive experience to ensure that this next iteration of the internet is designed from the outset with the wellbeing of kids in mind,” the statement reads.
It will probably be a while before we see the fruits of this new venture, but the partnership announcement proves that Epic continues to set its sights high for its future in both gaming and the wider tech industry.
