Family settings are available for all consoles currently on the market. Of course, as gaming evolves, these kind of settings need to evolve as well. Xbox Family Setting tools now feature options to ensure that kids don’t go haywire on more modern games such as Fortnite.
General Manager of Xbox Live Dan McCulloch detailed the new settings today in a blog over on Major Nelson’s website. These settings highlight cross-play features. Parents will now have the ability to allow or block cross-play activity on their child’s account, with Fortnite becoming the first game to to support these filters.
In addition, parents will also have other settings at their disposal such as options to enable or disable sharing outside of Xbox Live, sharing game clips, allowing to create or join clubs, and joining multiplayer games.
McCulloch also highlighted features that involve privacy and purchase limits. They include:
- Screen time management, which allows parents to set time limits and view activity reports on what children play
- Required approval before children can purchase content. Parents can also choose to receive updates on what children purchase.
- Content filters that allow parents to filter and allow games based on the age of their children. This also will have a request feature for kids that will allow them to play games based on parental approval
- Privacy settings that allow parents to view their child’s online profile, status and gaming history. Of course, with new multiplayer gaming trends, this may come especially useful.
These new family settings come as free-to-play titles, particularly Battle Royale games, are gaining momentum with kids and adults alike. In one month alone this past year, Fortnite Mobile sales made $15 million dollars. But there’s also good reason for implementing these kinds of filters — a report out earlier this year highlighted a Fortnite scam that had featured people manipulating children to reveal their parents’ bank account details.
