The Epic Games Store has reintroduced the NFT card game ‘Gods Unchained’ to its platform. This move comes after a reevaluation of its content guidelines regarding blockchain games. Previously, ‘Gods Unchained’ and similar titles like ‘Striker Manager 3’ were removed due to receiving an “Adults Only” (AO) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The ESRB’s AO rating, typically reserved for games with extreme violence or explicit content, was applied here due to the play-to-earn aspect, where players can earn NFTs or crypto tokens with real-world value.
An Epic Games representative clarified, “We’ve updated our Epic Games Store content policy to allow for games that are rated AO solely due to the usage of blockchain or NFT technology.” This decision marks a departure from their previous stance, where no AO-rated games were permitted on their store. Notably, both Xbox and PlayStation still exclude AO-rated games from their platforms.
Epic Games has assured that their stance against content involving gambling, pornography, or hate remains unchanged. Blockchain game developers must continue to comply with these standards. This change primarily affects games receiving the AO rating solely because of their blockchain or NFT elements, not for their content.
Titles offering real-world value might still earn an AO rating from the ESRB, but this will no longer bar them from being listed on the Epic Games Store.