Epic Games, the company famous for creating Fortnite, has decided to lift its ban on ‘adults only’ games, now allowing blockchain titles with AO ratings from the ESRB on its Epic Games Store digital distribution platform.
Previously, the platform had a strict policy against AO-rated games, typically associated with excessive nudity or violence. However, in a recent update, Epic Games announced that it would now make an exception for games that received an AO rating solely because of their use of blockchain or NFT technology.
Some of the games that have returned to the Epic Games Store as a result of this policy change include Gods Unchained and Striker Manager 3, both of which were previously removed due to their AO ratings.
The ESRB’s AO rating is known for being the strictest, causing many stores to avoid selling these games altogether. Unlike platforms like Steam and Itch.io, which allow AO games with the option for users to filter them, Steam does not support blockchain games. According to blockchain developers, Steam’s reasoning is that they do not allow items that can have real-world value on their platform.
Overall, this move by Epic Games marks a significant shift in their content guidelines and a step towards embracing blockchain technology in video games.