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The LEGO Group and Epic Games have teamed up to take on the metaverse. The new, long-term partnership is aiming to create a safe space for kids to play in the coming age. To that end, the partners are developing creative tools for kids to make and share their own content.
“Kids enjoy playing in digital and physical worlds and move seamlessly between the two,” says Niels Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group. “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.”
Within their partnership, Epic and LEGO agree on three principles to ensure safe digital play spaces:
- Protect children’s right to play by making safety and wellbeing a priority
- Safeguard children’s privacy by putting their best interests first
- Empower children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.
Epic Games, developers of the Unreal Engine, are known for their creative tools in the games industry. However, this isn’t their steps in children’s safety. In 2020, Epic acquired SuperAwesome, a company dedicated to protecting children’s online privacy.
“The LEGO Group has captivated the imagination of children and adults through creative play for nearly a century,” said Tim Sweeney, CEO and Founder of Epic Games. “And we are excited to come together to build a space in the metaverse that’s fun, entertaining, and made for kids and families.”
Do you think a LEGO block would still hurt in a haptic suit?
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