The first collaboration between Epic Games and Lego brings three new toys to Fortnite, expanding its world.
The Lego/Fortnite experience is described as a “survival building adventure with Lego” and will launch this Thursday, December 7. Lego Fortnite, which Epic describes as its own real-time service game, is designed for players ages 10 and up, offering a large multiplayer game that incorporates the building elements from the Lego games.
The new kid-friendly Fortnite experience will “encourage creativity, experimentation, and collaboration through gameplay,” offering a different experience from Fortnite’s chaotic battle royale gameplay. While the companies aren’t sharing many details about the game’s structure, map, or mechanics, they have provided some general teaser images.
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Epic and the company associated with clicking together fun little blocks announced their partnership in April of last year with the goal of building “a fun place for kids to play in the metaverse” in a long-term partnership. While the term “metaverse” may have gone out of fashion, online multiplayer games, customizable avatars, and in-game items may not have reached their peak of popularity yet.
In addition to Lego Fortnite, Epic announced two new games inside Fortnite, Rocket Racing and Fortnite Festival. Rocket Racing is described as a “supersonic racing game” by the team that created Rocket League, while Fortnite Festival is a music game that lets players perform on stage to hits from their favorite artists. While Lego Fortnite is gaining attention, Epic is expanding its range with new partnerships and games from its recent acquisitions, including Psyonix and Harmonix.
Before Lego Fortnite was released, Epic introduced 1,200 Lego skins to its own game, which has just started a new season. These include Lego versions of familiar characters like Peely, Raven, and Cuddle Team Leader. Lego Fortnite isn’t Epic’s first attempt to appeal to younger players, as regular Fortnite is designed to be kid-friendly. However, the company has run into trouble with regulators over how it handles its young player base. Last year, the FTC fined Epic $520 million for schemes that incentivized young players to make in-game purchases. Epic has also come under scrutiny for its handling of young players’ online safety, leading Fortnite to implement “restricted accounts” with restrictions for players under the age of 13 in the United States.
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While Fortnite remains popular and despite the difficulty in quantifying its exact popularity, it faces several competitors today. In its younger audience, Epic seems to want to compete with Roblox and Minecraft, two games that are popular among children under 13. These offer open online experiences where kids can play and create worlds together.
By partnering with Lego on a cooperative building game and introducing two other alternative gaming experiences, Epic seems to be creating a solid foundation for its expansive vision for the world of online gaming, whether we call it the Metaverse or not.
Source of information: https://techcrunch.com
