Epic Games Adding Age Ratings for All Fortnite Experiences

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To ensure player safety in its popular battle royale game, Epic Games announced it is rolling out age ratings for all Fortnite experiences, starting November 14.

Epic Games notes the new system includes “all first and third-party playable content” in Fortnite. Specifically, these age ratings will be used to examine and issue a rating to all content built in Fortnite’s Creative mode. The new system is part of a new partnership Epic Games formed with the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), an initiative that works with rating boards, including the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

Epic Games said that when a creator is ready to publish their island into Fortnite, they have to fill out an IARC content rating questionnaire. The creator must then submit their island to Epic moderators, who will review and publish the content.

Once the questionnaire is finished, an age-based rating is automatically issued to the creator’s island. Epic Games noted that the rating is region-specific, with the participating rating boards having the authority to alter one or more of the ratings assigned based on their review after the island has been published.

The news comes at a difficult time for Epic Games after the company announced less than a week ago that it was laying off 830 employees, or about 16 percent of its workforce. Epic is also spinning off most of SuperAwesome, a tech company it acquired in 2020 that focuses on making internet safety tools and tech for children.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.