Fortnite introduces child-friendly accounts

Epic Games has announced a new type of account for younger players, giving parents more control over their kids’ Fortnite activity

Epic Games has revealed a new type of Epic Games account to be used on the Epic Games Store and games like Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League.

The new accounts, called Cabined Accounts, are designed for younger players aged 13 and under, and require parental permission to access. Cabined accounts block off a number of features typically available in regular accounts, allowing parents to pick and choose what features their children get access to.

According to the FAQ, by default cabined accounts prevent the user from communicating with other players in-game, purchasing items with money, downloading games not owned by Epic, and viewing custom display names. Parents can choose to re-enable some or all of these features for their children if they wish.

Fortnite Chapter 4 introduced a host of new mechanics, such as vaulting over barriers. Picture: Epic Games

All accounts owned by players below the age of 13, or the age of digital consent in their country if it’s higher, will automatically be converted to cabined accounts, as all players will be asked their age if they have not yet provided it. Those players will still be able to access the Epic Games launcher and play games, but won’t be able to access the majority of features until their parents have gone through the parental consent process.

Epic Games says that the new feature should provide a “tailored experience that is safe and inclusive for younger players”, while also ensuring that those players can still access games like Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League.

As noted by PCGamer, however, it may be entirely possible for children to lie about their age when setting up or logging into an account, so it might not be entirely effective. Still, parents who are concerned about the gaming activity of their children can use the new features to get ahead when setting up accounts or guiding their children through logging in.

Fortnite Battle Royale released in 2017, and quickly became one of the most popular games on the planet. Picture: Epic Games

The new account type comes right at the start of a new chapter of Fortnite, which will see The Witcher come to the game. The new update includes an entirely new map, game-changing new mechanics, and new cosmetics based on Geralt from The Witcher and Doom Slayer from DOOM.

Epic Games isn’t the only company getting serious about the safety of its users. Twitch recently introduced new safety tools for streamers, in the form of a new mode called “Shield Mode”. It allows streamers to instantly lock down their channels, preventing new users from interacting with the stream chat and even mass-ban chatters who use specific words.

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.