Epic Games has begun rolling out a new type of account designed specifically for children who use the service to play online multiplayer games. The new accounts, called “Cabined Accounts,” are designed to provide a tailored experience for younger gamers using Epic Games that is both safe and inclusive.
Cabined Accounts started rolling out yesterday (Wednesday 7th) in games like Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys. Most Epic users will probably remember seeing their age asked one-off the first time they used the Epic Games Store. Essentially, any user claiming to be under the age of 13 will be granted a tied account.
The Cabined Account allows players to access the games they know and love, but some key fe atures will be disabled. This includes voice and text communication, the ability to purchase in-game items with real money, and a means of downloading non-Epic games.
Bound accounts are also excluded from Rocket League deals, custom display names, email marketing, or push notifications, and Epic accounts cannot be used to link to external accounts, such as social media or streaming services.
For those who do want to access any of the lock features, they first need to get permission from a parent or guardian, who can set up and adjust parental controls for their children. For those who already have an account under the age of 13, the account will automatically become a bound account.
It seems like a smart move by Epic, allowing gamers to jump into their most popular game without parental consent, while not putting themselves or their parents’ bank cards at risk.
You can learn more about linking accounts in Epic’s FAQ.
For an update on what Epic has been up to lately, see Fortnite’s Chapter 4 has just been released, giving us a brand new map and a Doom Slayer decoration for us to examine.
