Register
There is a brand-new feature under Preferences—Main & Side Accounts—where you can formally declare and link your main and side accounts. Everything to do with linking your mains and sides are done directly from your main account and you should do this immediately. First, verify your identity via SMS to specify an account as a main account. Once you're verified as a main account, you can enter the username, password, and email credentials of your side accounts directly on the page, and link them instantly.
Since this is now a formalized feature of the site, we will no longer be accepting or acknowledging main and side account designations as they appear in your public profile text. This is no longer a valid way to verify your identity and who accounts belong to.
Email and IP address spoofing is relatively easy to do. Asking you to verify your main account via SMS is a way of ensuring that it's really you and that you're really a human (and not a bot).
We understand that people will need some time to link their main and side accounts. In the next 3 to 6 months, Egg Cave's moderating team will become much less lenient toward accounts that are not formally declared as either a main or a side account. When suspicious activity occurs on accounts that are not declared as either a main or side, harsher and quicker penalties will be issued against these accounts.
More information can be found about main and side accounts in a new section of the Player Guide: Main & Side Accounts.
This feature of verifying your mains and sides is released in preparation for a brand-new feature at Egg Cave that'll be released in late summer. It will be an achievement-type system that will allow you to earn CaveCash without a direct buy from the site. In this achievements system, you will be rewarded for completing activites that you're probably already doing (like feeding and many other activities!).
Because this feature will allow players to earn CaveCash for free, it is vital that we have tools and controls to fight and combat illegitimate accounts, abuse, and fraud. Only main accounts verified by SMS will be able to access this new feature when it is released and accounts declared as sides will be unable to access this feature. Get ready!
No, you do not have to verify your identity via SMS to continue playing Egg Cave. Egg Cave is free to play, without a phone number. It is not required at registration. Certain Egg Cave features that may be big targets for abuse and fraud may require identity verification via SMS to access in the future.
hinokazes • 7 May 2022, 2:59 PM
EC uses paypal ? Oh, I guess I got mixed with another game I'm playing at where they only accept credit cards... But I don't have a paypal anymore anyway, because I couldn't add money too it without my credit card (it was possible before)
bone • 7 May 2022, 3:10 PM
@hinokazes I am sure down the line if a decent amount of players are unable to use SMS in order to have access to the free CC that EggCave will think about something. My main suggestion would be to restrict any activity that can be done through a bot
on non-SMS verified accounts and allow those unverified to still have opportunities at free CC if the task cannot be done with a bot? That way all players still have an opportunity at free CC.
frankenstein • 7 May 2022, 3:11 PM
I don't know if it's already been stated, but if you can't remember the email for each account, you can find it in your preferences/change email. For the password, I had to go to my Google settings, then look at my autofill to find all the pw I had saved. Hope this helps?
subie • 7 May 2022, 4:02 PM
Woohoo! All linked up, verified, and super excited for these major changes. 😸 It might be a little difficult to implement the SMS feature on a game that has a large youth audience though - I didn't get my own cellphone number until I was 16.
kairinrose • 7 May 2022, 4:40 PM
Can’t wait to verify my account, but I’ll hold off until my phone number is not displayed on my profile.
jlya • 7 May 2022, 5:25 PM
Willing sacrifice for the ability to earn CC 😊 Thanks @ian for listening to your community and finding a solution that protects from account stealing/abuse. Thank you also for being patient and finding workarounds for individual users. Linking accounts as we speak ❤️
heatherm19 • 7 May 2022, 5:30 PM
@subie That's interesting, it feels like every kid nowaways has a cell phone! I was in my late-teens when cell phones really became popular and I got a flip-phone, but I didn't get an internet-capable phone until just a couple years ago.
pwuffy • 7 May 2022, 6:00 PM
as has been said a few times in the thread before, i agree it would be a good idea to hide the phone number in account settings! one way a lot of sites handle it is they only show the last four digits (ie, ***-***-1234) so maybe that could be the alternative?
Orderedchaos • 7 May 2022, 8:54 PM
@kairinrose Your phone number will not be displayed publicly anywhere on site.
snowywinter • 7 May 2022, 10:13 PM
privacy debate aside... I wonder if this will work for people with traditional landlines? (most providers have switched over to VOIP w/o consumers knowing it.) When I still had a landline I could *receive* text messages on it.
bigdust • 7 May 2022, 10:36 PM
I only have a cell phone through my job - it can only be used for work related issues. I don't have a personal cell so I guess that leaves me out.
birdboysplace • 8 May 2022, 5:54 AM
@sinthr Reality is that almost everyone these days are glued to their cell phone for everything. I am not one of those people. I'm not giving out my # to anyone. I have been here almost everyday since June of 2013. I am going to stick it out for a while to see how this goes.
pooh • 8 May 2022, 8:24 AM
@sinthr, @birdboysplace I'm with you, guys. This situation makes me really sad...
pooh • 8 May 2022, 8:32 AM
@Ian I would like to make an official account linking, but why do I need a phone number for this? I understand account protection for getting free CC, it's really important. But why can't I verify my sub acc and link it to my main acc --
pooh • 8 May 2022, 8:33 AM
@Ian -- without a phone number if I don't plan to receive free CC?
aedia • 8 May 2022, 9:47 AM
@ian I like the idea, but what will happen to old users and their side accounts who might come back to Egg Cave in a year or so after this? I take breaks periodically so makes me concerned for other users and their creatures.
aedia • 8 May 2022, 9:52 AM
I'm also a little concerned about losing my account if I get a different phone number in the future.
aedia • 8 May 2022, 9:54 AM
As an adult user it may not affect me as much but I don't know if this feature is as child friendly since not all kids have a phone number and I think this site should be child friendly personally, I wonder if there are other ways to verify like a main email account as option?
Orderedchaos • 8 May 2022, 11:55 AM
Guys, this is just 2-factor Authentication. This is not "blackmail" or some nefarious plot to "sell your data". You won't get banned for not doing it. Its just if you want to participate in free CC stuff you will need the extra security of 2FA.
Orderedchaos • 8 May 2022, 11:58 AM
I know some of you still have unanswered questions and Ian will get to them, I promise. But responses tend to be a bit slow over the weekend since people tend to do other things, especially holiday weekends like this one.
jilltheplatypus • 8 May 2022, 12:18 PM
I feel like as users and consumers of this site it's valid for us to question why this measure of authentication is required for enjoying all features. Also leaving out that instead of a one time deal we will instead be needing monthly sms verifications makes me question more.
Meteoroid • 8 May 2022, 1:19 PM
All questions and concerns regarding this new security measure are extremely valid and no one is being intentionally ignored. This enhanced security is seen as necessary to enjoy certain features while curtailing any abuse that may derive from it.
Meteoroid • 8 May 2022, 1:20 PM
Egg Cave unfortunately experiences side account abuse even without the incentive of a free way to obtain CC and the intention here is to nip that in the bud before it can happen.
Meteoroid • 8 May 2022, 1:21 PM
No one on staff outside of Ian can provide more in-depth answers for most of these questions, so we ask of you to please understand and exercise patience in the meantime.
Meteoroid • 8 May 2022, 1:25 PM
We are still months out from launching the achievement system and no one should feel unfairly pressured to make a decision regarding identity verification (which isn’t a necessity to continue using EC). Do continue to share your thoughts and voice your opinions on the matter!
hinokazes • 8 May 2022, 1:46 PM
I have a question regarding children. When an adult give their phone number, they take the responsability of what they do. But having access to children's phone numbers kinda give me the creeps :S Not accusing you of anything, just wondering if something can be done for that ?
bone • 8 May 2022, 3:43 PM
I do not think EggCave can determine if the person behind the screen is an adult or a minor? So there is no way to determine if the number entered is the number of a child or not.
heatherm19 • 8 May 2022, 6:36 PM
While I get the concerns and wariness over something like this, I personally have no issue with it and have already verified... But I *do* want some clarification on if this is going to be a *monthly* verification (which is not mentioned in the post!) and what can be done if we--
heatherm19 • 8 May 2022, 6:37 PM
lose access to the phone we verified with. If SMS verification is so important, what happens when you've already verified but can no longer do so with that number? Will our accounts be in jeopardy down the line if we can no longer use the number we verified with??
dragrawr • 9 May 2022, 1:57 AM
Incredibly pumped as an older user !!!
redflipflap • 9 May 2022, 11:00 AM
Egg Cave and only Egg Cave has my best interest at heart!!! [cries in tech support] I love y’all!! ♡ ♡ ♡
sprite • 9 May 2022, 11:59 AM
Restating the same thing over and over is just clogging up this blog. Some people quit due to the limit of 1 main which has always always been the rule 😉 Many sites use these types of verifications. It's not nefarious. Fairness has been brought up a lot. This is the result.
sprite • 9 May 2022, 12:04 PM
We live in a tech world. Plain and simple. Email verification is easy to abuse so this is the reason for SMS which was already stated. Email verification has always been used here and has proven it's easily abused. That is what makes it so clear to me. Life is not fair.
sprite • 9 May 2022, 12:11 PM
Do think a backup alternative needs to be established. Due to people changing carriers and phone number. Or losing phone etc.
sprite • 9 May 2022, 12:12 PM
Will await further updates on a new blog? Before commenting any more.
Ian • 9 May 2022, 2:27 PM
To reiterate: this is, essentially, 2FA for your main account. 2FA will be required for the upcoming CC features we have planned for the achievements system. Asking you for your phone # is about (1) verifying you're human and (2) deterring fraud and abuse.
Ian • 9 May 2022, 2:29 PM
We understand that there are a collection of you that do not have mobile numbers! Currently working on a solution for you all so you can still verify your identity and participate. Stay tuned in upcoming blog posts [give us time, please].
lunacharm1037 • 9 May 2022, 2:33 PM
I linked by main & side accts but it broke my heart to do it. Now my personal data is out there in the ozone where anyone can now hack me. I have been here for a long time, spent a lot of money here, but I may be leaving soon. I don't even know what SMS means other than email?
lunacharm1037 • 9 May 2022, 2:35 PM
Disappointed in EC
Orderedchaos • 9 May 2022, 2:46 PM
@lunacharm1037 Its 2-factor Authentication. Its the same kind of thing your bank, or Steam, or Facebook, or any number of other sites would send to verify that you are indeed you and not someone else trying to log into one of those accounts.
lunacharm1037 • 9 May 2022, 3:05 PM
Putting my phone number and credit card just to play a game that used to be free is a bit much for me. Maybe it's time to move on (for me)
lunacharm1037 • 9 May 2022, 3:09 PM
@orderedchaos IDK what Steam is and I don't have Facebook. I really don't know exactly what you're talking about. And forced to do this in order to play EC ☹️ I will def miss it, the way it used to be anyway
sprite • 9 May 2022, 3:20 PM
Being on the internet causes privacy issues. You use at your own risk Up to you if you want to use any thing related to money.
sprite • 9 May 2022, 3:42 PM
Topic can be made to discuss this. There is one in General right now. Never said it was a rule. So that is not a point to make with me. Stating black mailing over and over is a bit much. Just to be clear.
sprite • 9 May 2022, 3:47 PM
As with EC things always work out. Quit or not this is a really needed measure. All for it so it will weed out the fake accounts. Have fun. It's a game site 😃
heatherm19 • 9 May 2022, 4:58 PM
@lunacharm1037 I'm sorry to tell you, but if you use the internet your information is most likely already out there somewhere. Privacy and safety on the internet is, bluntly, simply not possible, not completely. Some sites do keep your info safe to the best of their abilities--
heatherm19 • 9 May 2022, 4:59 PM
(sounds like EC is one of those), but not all sites would. If you have *ever* used Google search/email, they've collected info about you. EC is not suspicous/blackmailing/forcing anyone, you don't *have* to do this to keep playing the same way you always have.
heatherm19 • 9 May 2022, 5:01 PM
That said, I've never actually used 2FA and would appreciate some more info on how this is going to be done (ie, will we have to 'reverify' every single month to still qualify for the CC stuff??)
bone • 9 May 2022, 5:33 PM
@heatherm19 Yes, each month will require re-verification on EggCave. 😊 I seen it mentioned either on page 2 or 3?
This blog post is now closed to comments.