The Epic Games Store typically prohibits games that receive an “Adults Only” (AO) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) from being distributed on its platform. This classification generally applies to games that contain excessive nudity or extreme violence, meaning that titles rated AO are normally unable to be published on the Epic Games Store.
However, on the 20th of this month, Epic updated its review policies. While most AO-rated games remain prohibited from being released on the Epic Games Store, the company has created an exception for blockchain-based games that receive an AO rating due solely to their use of blockchain technology. This policy adjustment represents positive news for blockchain game developers.
Epic Games spokesperson Brian Sharon stated in a public statement:
“Some blockchain-based games have received an Adults Only (AO) rating from industry rating bodies due to the unique implementation of blockchain technologies. We have updated the Epic Games Store content policy to allow games rated AO solely because of their use of blockchain or NFT technologies. Our policies prohibiting pornography, gambling, and hateful content remain unchanged.”
Blockchain games permitted under this policy must still comply with the platform’s general content review requirements.
Titles such as Gods Unchained and Striker Manager 3, which were previously removed from the Epic Games Store due to AO or higher ratings, have now been reinstated and are once again available for download and purchase following the policy change.
In addition to the content review requirements imposed through the ESRB rating system, Epic Games maintains additional restrictions specific to blockchain games. These requirements may be further updated after Epic gathers more information about how developers intend to integrate blockchain technology into their games.
Developers and blockchain game publishers must also comply with applicable financial regulations and clearly explain to users how blockchain technology is utilized within the game.
Furthermore, blockchain games are not permitted to use Epic’s proprietary payment services to process cryptocurrency transactions. Instead, such games must implement their own independent payment systems.
Additionally, due to mandatory legal requirements in certain jurisdictions, games utilizing blockchain technology cannot be made available to users in China or South Korea.
Although this policy update represents a positive development for the blockchain gaming industry, it does not necessarily mean that blockchain developers will flood into the Epic Games Store in the short term.
Currently, the self-publishing program for blockchain games remains in a closed beta stage, and new blockchain game submissions will still be subject to case-by-case review and approval.