Should I Let My Kid Play Fortnite? (Parents Guide)
Have you heard of Fornite? Specifically Fornite: Battle Royale? If you’ve got a tween or teen, then you’ve probably heard of it because it is crazy popular right now… in fact, it’s as viral (or more so) as Minecraft was.
As a parent, I wondered if it was OK to let my kids play Fortnite. I did some digging and playing, and this is my Fortnite parents’ guide, to help you decide if you’re OK with your kid playing Fortnite too.
This game has seemingly dropped out of the sky (for those that have played before, do you see what I did there?) to have become a wildly popular game that attracts over 40 million players and has broken countless records. For instance, it broke records recently by having almost 3.5 million people playing the game at the same time, it has broken streaming and views records for Twitch and Youtube as well.
It has also hit the news recently that a popular Fornite Streamer is earning a half-million dollars per month, by streaming his Fornite Battles. This very short list of fun facts should tell you just how popular this game is.
Now that you know how popular it is, you can understand why your kids are always asking to play it. So, should you let your kids play Fortnite? I know that this question is on a lot of parents minds lately, so I decided to do a little digging into it (and yeah, I played a round or two). I know I wanted the answer to this question myself before I let my kids sit in front of the screen to play it.
What exactly is Fortnite: Battle Royale?
I have heard of Fornite being described as “Minecraft meets The Hunger Games.” Okay, I can see that in the sense that there is a lot of building and resource mining that happens in this game and it is essentially a survival game between you and 99 other players online.
Players must loot what they can in order to last the longest with the last player standing getting the “Victory Royale” screen at the end. Throughout their game, players work to collect tools and weapons that will help them build structures and fight off their opponents, while also trying to outrun a storm that can kill them as well.
Is there violence in Fortnite: Battle Royale?
Well, yes and no. There are a lot of guns in Fornite, your goal is to get the best weapons out there to help you in battle. Each gun causes a different amount of damage to your opponent. That said, there is no blood and gore in this game. You shoot your opponent and try to take away their “shield” and “health” bar and once their health bar is on 0%, they simply disappear. The cartoonish character and bloodless violence make it much more acceptable for many parents when it comes to letting their children play.
Should I let my kid play Fortnite? Is Fornite bad for kids?
Whether or not you let your child play Fortnite is 100% up to you as a parent. Again, do note that the weapons and violence are there but not in the bloody, gruesome way that you might see in other video games.
Additionally, the open chat feature allows kids to receive communication from other players, which often means that they can see language that you may deem inappropriate. You can turn this feature off to prevent this from happening.
If you are still trying to decide, here is a Fornite pros and cons list for those parents considering whether or not to let their kids play:
Pros of Fortnite
Here’s why Fornite is good for kids:
- Builds thinking skills. To be successful in this game you need to learn to think fast.
- Teamwork. Squad and Duo modes allow you to play with friends, which builds teamwork skills.
- Socialization. Again, squad and duo modes allow you to play with friends, which is great for socialization.
- Short time frame. Each game takes 20 minutes or less (depending on how long you last). This short time frame keeps screen times at a minimum, assuming you don’t continually say yes to “one more round”.
- It’s free. Fortnite has several game modes, but the wildly popular Battle Royale mode is free to play.
Cons of Fortnite
Here are some reasons why Fornite is bad for kids:
- The violence is there. As I mentioned before, there are weapons and violence in this game. I suggest that you play the game yourself or watch a round being played to see if you are okay with the level of violence in it.
- Open chat feature. The open chat feature, like any other online chat room, can be dangerous and the kids can be exposed to inappropriate language with it. Again, I always turn this feature off on games that my kids play, just to be safe.
- In-app purchases. If you have a credit card connected to your gaming accounts, it is wise to put a parental block on so that your kids can’t purchase new “skins” and tools. These things can add up quick! I actually don’t mind that there are things for them to buy. I make my kids pay for these things on their own. When there are things they want, they work harder to earn it!
- It can be addicting. With short round times and exciting gameplay, there are a lot of kids addicted to Fornite. However, as long as you limit your kids’ screen time this should be no problem.
- You won’t stop hearing about it. I mean, ever. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, but if you have pre-teens or teens at home, you know what I am saying.
Fortnite Parents’ Guide Recap
Here’s what I think about kids and technology. Technology, gaming, social media, smartphones, iPads… none of that stuff is going to go away. As a parent, I choose to educate myself and make decisions that allow my child to experience and learn how to use these things, while they are still at home. I definitely set restrictions, and I think it is very important to teach kids moderation with their screen time.
If my kid is excited to play a game, such as Fortnite, I will allow them to play. I use gaming and electronics as a leveraging tool. If grades are dropping, this privilege is taken away for a time. If home responsibilities aren’t getting done, they lose this privilege. Having my kid excited about something means I can keep them motivated to accomplish goals, be responsible, and get decent grades.
As far as Fortnite goes, the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion. My 14-year-old son plays with his friends (although they are all at their own homes) through his gaming headset. They work together as a team, they are socializing, and I know where my kid is and what he’s doing. Not letting him play will remove him from this social experience and will demotivate him.
I choose to “pick my battles”, and as far as Fornite goes, it gets a thumbs up from me.
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Well My Mom DOSENT Let me play because of the guns Which I’m A little Mad at But What makes it worse Is That Never Stop Asking
i think my pearents are the best cuz they let me play AND bout v bucks for me but i have to be good and have good grades for the rest of the year
My mom won’t let me play because the point of the game is to kill people and she thinks its really violent but shes never seen it
she is hardly in a position to judge you or the game if she has never seen it.
I think its’s more down to her being controlling for the sake of it, when she should be exploring it with you, and then giving her feedback on what she has learned from it… but right now, .. there are non so blind as those who cannot see.
I want my mom to get it to
I have fortnite but my mom doesn’t let me play because I didn’t play piano the day before
Play your piano first and when you practiced enough then you can some fornite.
FACTS
Cool! Sounds like a quick and easy fix…. just practice your piano and you’ll get Fortnite!
boiiiiii!
yeeyt
my mom is the same way
My mom still will not let me play. I showed her this, but she still believes that because there is guns in the game it is innapropriate. I even tried to tell her that it is very comedic, with llama pinata, boogey bombs, and funny emotes.
Me too vaughn, and I have been trying to find great articles like this to persuade my parents.
My mom and dad uses my a.d.d which means that i am addicted to an electronics for an excuse to not let me play and MY MOM WILL NOT BUY ME A FREAKIN IPHONE…… i have to wait intil my mom is alseep so i can sneak her phone to let me play BUT I HAVE A’s IN ALL OF MY GRADES and I AM 11 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im 16… cant play:(
I have to wait till 8th grade
you wouldn be able to play even in grade 8 ,just like me:(
Dude, you are not in 8th grade. If you were you would be using proper grammar.
sometimes i can secretly play and i used to be able to play out in the open when i was 7 now im 10 and i can’t play but i do still play and i have every battlepass skin
i have to move out
My parents used to let me play but now they say i’m “addicted”, but how can you be addicted if you only play for half an hour a day! it doesn’t make any sense. plus I have only A’s and B’s , and those are pretty good grades!
Fortnite is a very calm and relaxed game. let your kid play it, a long as they arent stupid, they wont talk to strangers
That is fax sir
I am 14 years old and I can still not play fortnite untill I play outside for at least an hour and thats when my mom is nice… Does anyone know how to play it secretly???????/
The best way to play is to not play secretly, and play when your parents know when you are playing!
I know im late af but make a folder with useless things put it in there and don’t get caught.
Just download it on your phone if your phone can handle the game.
Fortnite is the best game in the world. I can play it.
For all you boys moaning that your mum won’t let you play it.. be greatful she cares enough about you to care what you do. So many parents out there couldn’t care less about their kids!
👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎🤢
emo
I’M SO FREAKING ANGERY!!11! My mom is literally the worst she won’t let me play fortnite even when I do all my chores! Im 9 years old already, and I am very mature for my age! I even promised to stop doing the default fortnite dance in public.
Your mom is the BEST! She is saving you from a terrible addiction! She loves you more than most parents love their kids.
Barf!
9yo is not mature
you have to be at least 13 to play fortnite
Says who??
You’ll be telling us all next that you have to be a man to go to space, or be 21 (USA…sad) to be an adult.. 18 in this (UK) country!.. or to be 18 to have sex or get pregnant.. even though millions have done this sooner!
It’s a game, and not as bad as you think it is. Let kids be kids, and not slaves to the rules.
I hate my parents, I get As in all my subjects , i dont mess around but my parents dont let me play cuz they dont like how its online and how it has guns.when i play on my Ps4, i had to secretley down load fortnite , but i cant play with any sound or they will hear, When i play with friends i get bullied for being a deafault and i cant buy anything or my parents will get an email saying i bought vbucks ( i downloaded fortnite when my moms computer was on and she was taking out the trash and i deleted the email) someone please help me convince my parents that i can play fortnite so i can not be stressed about turning it off whenever my parents walk nto my room .ps im 12 yrs old
Umm… Why do you hate your parents? Did you buy the house your living in? Did you buy your gaming system? Be grateful, your parents love you. Also, have you tried Minecraft? It is way better than Fortnite anyways.
mincraft is much worse than forthnight
yes
Pffft! Comparing Minecraft to Fortnite is like saying drive a station wagon instead of a Mustang or a Ferrari!!
Fortnite is waaaayyyy better than the boring Minecraft…. my 7yr old boy did Minecraft since he was 5… and found it too boring in the end… and now plays regular Battle Royale… and wins many times. 🙂
The fact that the desire to play this game has you lying and sneaking around plus saying you hate your parents, makes the argument that this is not a good game even stronger.
Be grateful you have a house to live in.
I’ve always been a good kid. Every day I am very attentive in class and I am a straight A student. I get so jealous because all I hear at my school is “why don’t you get Fortnite kid?” My answer is always “I can’t.” They them reply with “ur bad.” I really want to play this game so I don’t lose friends, my parents love me but I really want to play Fortnite. I am 12 years old.
Anyone heard about BattleLands Royale? She lets me play THAT not fortnite and legit they r the same thing! now Mr. Stupid might come on and say “be nice! ” whatever! i should be able to play!
-Somebody
I am 10 years old and a girl, all my friends are basically boys because, I get bullied a lot. So one of my friends, he says, ” P.C. is the hardest to play on but I can teach you. It’s easy when you know the basics.” So I have been trying to convince my mother, but she says I need to get on a more mature level. I mean I am in 5th Grade! I am mature enough! Is anyone here feel like me y’all!?
my mum and dad is treating me like a pest ,2hour s of a games a week when I am smartest in my class she compares me to people who have 90 IQ and i am losing my friends i lost my best friend a week ago all my friends play 2hours each day please HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Mom says that I spend too much time on it but I only get to play for half an hour. And that I think about it too much. But I am really just thinking some better ways to play the game. So now I can’t play till my parents let me. And who knows when that’s gonna be
I can’t play even when I get my grades ALL A’S and EVEN WHEN I DO EVERYTHING THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO. When I have nothing to do and I want to play all my friend say HAHA U CANT PLAY AHAHAHAH. I always get bullied because of it. And it always makes me sad. Anything to help persuade me?
You guys are ungrateful, you wouldn’t be alive without your parents.
fortnite is the best game
I don’t have parents
Wow you guys are tooooooooooxiiiiiiiic
Sneakin around, deletin emails, screamin about how angry u are and how you hate ur parents. For the love of god grow up. You can play all you want when ur abvoe 18yo. but for now ur parents decide what you can or cant do or when ur mature enough to play a thing… AND 2 HOURS IS PLENTY OF TIME THATS LIKE 6-12 MATCHES (depending on how long u last per match)
I have been good in school done everything I am supposed to do I am older then 10 I can prove to my parents that fortnite is not bad so long as I don’t play 247 cuz that’s just stupid yet they still don’t let me play… yet it’s mainly my mom my dad is not so much.
i am not gonna play fortnite cause its kinda violent for me i am the kid anyway i don’t like my parents to be mad at me for wasting the money for v bucks
Look, I know you are a parent and you researched and all that. I’ve been playing fortnite for a year now and I still have 100s in my classes(Im in Middle School by the way). As I get 100’s my mom would deny fortnite and my attitude sometimes changes, but now im controlling it so my mom still says no(as usual). I did all my work one day and she simply said, and I quote, “No because I don’t want you to play.” Nothing then, no reason, and I even asked her nicely. What do I do?
I can understand those parents who like to wrap their kids up in cotton wool, and think the world is all bad, bad, bad out there, and may want it to be like a Disney-esque world… or re the Truman Show… all nicey nicey and wouldn’t say boo to a goose!
But the world is not all sugar and spice… but not all that bad either… and even better if you prepare your kid for it early enough, i.e. when they start to ask questions… and please, parents, don’t answer with the tag “that’s for when ur a grown up” (so irksome that one)… as curiosity is all part of their nature. Sure keep them away from the sexual nature of stuff right now, until they get to their maturing age (again which is a lot earlier these days!)… but gaming is all about skillsets, confidence, teamwork, hand-eye co-ordination, etc… and fun… u recall that, don’t u parents… remember back to when u were a curious kid! 🙂
My boy is 7yrs, 8 next month, and he’s already a whizz at Fortnite. He tried COD:MW last month, but found it too boring and repetitive… even tho he regularly makes MVP … but after Fifa 23 (which he’s also good at), he found the Fortnite to be ‘free’ on his PS5 (yes, he has one already, really) – so i put him on my account, and i let him play to see how it went… and, yet again, he took to it like a duck to water… and wins 1st place many times on his own or in a team of 4.
I love the game, but do not play it, as I love COD:MW (being ex-Forces).. and I control his V-Bucks allowance.. which he has spent on things like weapons, skins, dances (so funny), etc.
He’s limited to an hour a day on school days (after homework, obvs), and 3hrs a day at the weekends.
The game makers state 13yrs as a minimum age… but they obvs do not know about kids in the 21st century (and hypocritical too, given their soft gun laws!), and maybe they think the kids below 10yrs are still green behind the ears until 13…. so not true….. as they’re growing up a lot faster, in their early years… tho it is up to us parents to know their kids, based on how they’re bringing them up, and what they’re teaching them.. and what is best for them, what is educational and important for them, and – most importantly, what is FUN for them! yes, my kid knows all about swearing (they do it at school in the playground, and i ain’t that naive to think it doesn’t happen).. so we chatted all about that.. why he should’t curse, and when it may seem ‘natural’, and when… but now that he knows, he ain’t so curious anymore, and that’s gone away.
So, please do not close your kids off to everything they’re curious about, just coz it’s your own pov… let them discover things on their own…. as you never know.. they may become future gamers, champions, or may gain a lot more confidence / skills in other things as a result of this.
Enjoy… and have fun! 🙂
My mom says that Fortnite is too addictive. Any ideas on how to make convince her that it’s really not so bad?
Fortnite gives you so many benefits as it provides you with sharp reflexes. And other games in Fortnite have no guns at all. Like death runs.