For the under-18 crowd, Epic Games has a workaround for the fact that almost no one these days respects the 18+ age requirement for creating an account. They are introducing these new types of accounts for younger children in order to protect them from online toxicity while also requiring parental consent for in-app purchases. Epic Games will offer a new type of account called a “Cabined Account” for children younger than 13 years of age. These accounts have already started rolling out, and games like Rocket League, Fall Guys, and Fortnite will be the first to get them. They will also have certain restrictions unless a parent or a guardian provides consent.
Learn more here: https://t.co/6ifRMnhZm5 — Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) December 7, 2022 In a cabined account, you can’t make any purchases with real-life money, use text chat, make trades, buy or download games from the Epic Games Store that aren’t owned by Epic, set your own display name, or use two-factor authentication using SMS. Younger players won’t be able to connect their Epic account to services like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch without permission from their parents. Some Unreal Engine features will also be locked down for developers with “cabined” accounts. However, the game’s experience will not change for players with these accounts. If a parent or guardian gives permission, or if the player reaches the legal age of digital consent in their country, Epic will remove the restrictions. Those who have such an account can continue to make in-game purchases with the money already in their Epic Wallet. As the company seems to be taking measures to ensure their audience is safe while playing games and not spending someone else’s money, the idea of Cabined Accounts will be pretty appealing to kids and their parents. Leave your thoughts on Epic’s new strategy below, and if you think this feature will, in long-term benefit the company.
