For tweens and above, Fortnite Battle Royale is still one of the most popular – and passionately debated – video games. Here’s a rundown of the fundamentals, as well as some suggestions for encouraging kids to play safely and responsibly.
What exactly is Fortnite, and how do you go about playing it?
In Fortnite Battle Royale, players work together to defeat game-controlled or player-controlled characters in an open-world circumstance. Despite the cartoon-like brutality, some of the characters and scenarios may be frightening to youth players.
Fighting zombie-like enemies is the focus of the single-player or cooperative mode (which may be played with friends). Fortnite Battle Royale War Royale, a separate free-to-play multiplayer platform in which up to 100 players compete alone or in teams of a maximum of four. The last person left in the battle arena wins the game.
Players must first make an account by entering an email address that they need to verify, as well as a username. There is no way to verify your age.
What is the appeal of Fortnite?
It’s free and is compatible on a variety of platforms, like the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac, PC, iOS, and select Android smartphones.
The gameplay is easy, yet highly engrossing. Multiplayer games may take up to 30 minutes and allows the players to switch to a new game, making extended sessions a breeze.
The game is well-designed, and it’s always improving with weekly updates and challenges.
V-bucks, the in-game money, allows users to earn prizes by completing challenges.
Fortnite has a tremendous following with a large social media attraction, so youngsters who don’t play may feel left out.
Why Do Kids Enjoy It?
Fortnite Battle Royale is a survival game, which means you must defeat the other 99 online players in order to win. This competitive aspect adds a sense of urgency to the game; players must escape getting caught in the eye of the storm in order to stay in the game; there are constant countdowns to when the storm will arrive.
Younger players will like the game’s bright animations and colors. Epic Games teases players with fresh updates, freebies, and ways to play in a smart way. Fortnite Battle Royale will be available on mobile devices soon. Users can get new stuff for free if they keep playing the game for free, and VC.
Christmas and dinosaur costumes are available for purchase, adding to the game’s fun factor. Avatars may also do dancing steps utilising the ‘Emote’ function, which can be used at any time throughout the game and is highly entertaining. Many of these dances are based on popular culture, allowing players to enjoy them in the game as well as in the classroom.
The game has a social component; players may play in groups of two or more and communicate with one another through text chat or headsets during the game. On YouTube, Fortnite has now become the most viewed game ever. A lot of well-known social media influencers or YouTube celebrities play the game and offer videos on how to play.
Is there a minimum age requirement?
Fortnite is classified 12+ by PEGI, Pan European Game Information, because of its numerous scenes of light violence. However, because many children under the age of 12 play this sort of game, it’s critical that parents are aware of the safety risks presented and how to assist their children to play properly.
Gameplay in Multiplayer
The Battle Royale mode in Fortnite Battle Royale is a multiplayer game in which players from around the world stand to compete against each other in last-man-standing contests comprising up to 100 players, either in squads or individually. The major safety concerns about Fortnite, is the unmoderated chat capabilities, since users are open to messages from anybody they are playing with, whether by voice or on-screen. Children may be exposed to extremism, improper language,, or, in extreme grooming, circumstances, as with other games having chat functionality.
What precautions can you take to protect your child?
When creating an account, it is critical that they do not use a username that might reveal sensitive information. In addition, there is no age verification process. As a result, if your child has or wants to register an account, be aware of the hazards.
Fortnite Battle Royale has three levels of privacy settings: Public, where anyone can join your child’s online party; Friends, where only friends may join a party; and Private, where no one can join your child’s party unless the child has invited them. Discuss the proper level for your child.
Voice-Chat may also be turned off in Fortnite. Make yourself and your child comfortable with the game’s settings, and if you think it’s appropriate, play it with them.
Discuss unwanted contact with your child and what to do if someone speaks to them in a rude or inappropriate manner or requests personal information. If they are confused about unwanted contact or have been exposed to something inappropriate, invite them to come to you.
What should I do if my child makes improper contact with another player?
To report problematic player behaviour, Fortnite Battle Royale has an in-game feedback feature in the game’s Main Menu. You may also contact Epic Games, the creators of Fortnite, via their website and report any issues.
You can also seek guidance from CEOP, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command, and file a report through their online safety centre.
Purchases made in-game
Fortnite Battle Royale is free to play, but you can get added incentives like skins by purchasing a season battle pass for £7.99, which lasts for a whole Battle Royale season (about three months). V-Bucks, Fortnite’s in-game money, may be used to purchase in-game add-ons. You may buy V-Bucks with real money or earn them by purchasing a season battle pass, which costs money. All goods purchased with V-Bucks are purely decorative and have no bearing on gameplay.
It’s crucial to make sure that youngsters don’t have access to their parents’ credit card information when playing games featuring in-app purchases. It’s also vital to talk to your kids about how in-game purchases are meant to draw them in and get them to spend money. Allowing them to purchase goods on the game with their own pocket money may be a terrific approach to give a youngster a stronger feeling of independence if they are still adamant about it.
Epic Games had to release a statement lately warning consumers on how to secure their accounts. This includes third-party websites claiming to offer free V-Bucks in return for personal information. A list of security suggestions and guidance was also offered.
Is Fortnite Battle Royale a game that is difficult to put down?
Following Fortnite Is massive success – the game currently has a projected 45 million users – various publications have claimed that the game is addicting for youngsters and that it causes competitive fury.
Because of the high yet brief frequency of games, multiplayer is quite popular. The duration of a player’s game usually range from a few minutes to over 30 minutes. The option to join another game is straightforward and quick to use, luring gamers in with the promise of ‘just one more game.’
The popularity of Fortnite Battle Royale videos is skyrocketing.
As the game has risen in popularity, so has the popularity of Fortnite videos and their makers. Ninja, the most popular Fortnite gamer, has 9.1 million YouTube subscribers and had a Twitch show with rapper Drake that drew 635,000 live viewers (a world record for viewers to a stream).
The same problems apply to Fortnite videos as they do to any other YouTube video: namely, the use of foul language and discussion of themes that may be improper for your child’s age.
To avoid this, use YouTube’s restricted mode, which will filter out unwanted content. Alternatively, you may discuss what your child is viewing with them and then watch it with them so that you can decide whether it is acceptable for your child.
What Are the Consequences?
- Screen time is the most significant worry for parents of children who play this game. Some youngsters will find it difficult to put the game down due to its immersive nature. Games can be ended in a matter of seconds, or the player may feel compelled to continue playing if they have reached a high level.
- Although the PGEI rating is 12 and above, there is no age requirement when registering an account.
- The platform is connected with Facebook and Google, and players may add other gamers to these platforms, which is a worry. Talk to your youngster about becoming friends with strangers on the internet.
- Other online users can add you as a ‘Friend’ if you leave the default option. You may have a private chat with them if you add them as a friend.
- Gamers that participate in this online game can be of any age or gender, and they can remain completely anonymous.
- On text chat or live chat, users may be exposed to foul language from other players.
- In-app purchases might be costly, but they are not required to play the game. A parent’s approval is required, otherwise, the child may be removed from the game. “When you supply payment information to Epic or its approved processor, you indicate that you are an authorized user of the credit card,” their terms and conditions read.
