18+ Mature Themes, Will EPIC refuse permission?

Development Character & Animation
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1

I’m interested in implementing the Unreal Engine logo into my game so I wanted to ask this. I’m currently working on a horror project that looks at many adult themes, such as

  • domestic violence
  • drug use/abuse
  • suicide
  • murder
  • graphic gore (just intestines being shown on floor)
  • sexual intimacy (no genitalia is shown full on)

Although most of these themes will be shown very briefly and somewhat left to the players imagination, I’m still worried that I’ll have spent months on the cutscenes/animations only to be turned down by EPIC. I read the statement below recently which got me wondering:

’‘While all licensees can enter into the Unreal Engine trademark license, please note that we withhold the right to refuse permission to use our trademarks on a case-by-case basis for projects that are inconsistent with Epic’s brand image (e.g., games with an anticipated ESRB rating higher than M, pornography, extreme violence, etc.). Please check with us if you are unsure if your project fits these requirements.’'

What is classed as ‘extreme violence’ and ‘pornography’ ect.?
Because these days, killing an animal and eating their corpse is not considered violence so I’m almost scared to ask if I can include my characters death in the game.

I want to show realistic scenarios in the cutscenes for these real-life based characters, like love between two people and the decline of a man’s mental health that pushes him to suicide. I hope that EPIC doesn’t pull a Youtube and put down anything remotely realistic.
Sorry if I’m not asking in the right place. Thanks for any clarification!

2

There are two topics here, so I’ll treat them separately.

First, under the EULA, the only subject-matter restriction is the requirement that your Product be “lawful.” What constitutes lawful content varies from place to place - you can imagine a game being allowed in the United States which isn’t allowed in Saudi Arabia. Epic won’t act as a censor of licensee games and products.

Second is the matter of trademark use. So while you can make whatever game you want under the EULA, that doesn’t mean Epic wants it to be branded using Epic trademarks. I think the ESRB rating of AO is a good marker. There are plenty of games currently on the market which contain the items in your bulleted list which do not have an AO rating.