As a teacher I am often asked what I think about kids and devices and how much time spent on a device is too much and which games are good and which ones are not. To be honest the answers to these questions depend on the child and the family values set. So recently the game of choice is Fortnite.

So what is Fornite?

It is classed as a First Person Shooter (which means you hunt and kill other players or the 'baddies') and if you are not happy with that then you can stop here and ban the game in your house. If you are ok with that or you are curious, read on. The premise of Fornite Battle Royale is simple; be the last person standing out of 100 players, who all parachute on to the same virtual island, by using your wits, your weapons and materials to stay alive. In this respect it has the same game style as a number of other games on the market. So why has it captured the imagination of over 140 million players worldwide? Well its free (but there is a catch there), is colourful and constantly changing and it is incredibly social.

Any parents with kids old enough to hold a game controller have no doubt heard of Fortnite. They may have even jumped in and played it themselves. Because of its cartoonish design and bloodless game play, it has become popular with kids younger than 10. Which is interesting in itself as it is rated PEGI12 (read further down)

It is not all just shooting and blowing other players up. . .its other increasingly popular ‘Save the World’ format teaches players to think, be creative and cooperative in order to achieve their objectives. But that’s not to say parents shouldn’t keep an eye on their kids while they’re playing the game.

What is Fortnite’s Rating

It is rated PEGI12+ and has been assessed to be suitable for gamers above the age of 12. May contain graphic violence towards fantasy characters, non-graphic violence towards humans or animals, explicit sexual descriptions or images (nude people in a sexual context, although not necessarily explicit in content), and mild swearing.

What do the Game designers do to keep our kids safe

EPIC GAMES have a published Code of Conduct that can be accessed on the website.

When playing Fortnite we ask you to agree to the following code of conduct:

(TLDR: Respect other players and play fair -simple right?)

1. Respect other players. Be graceful in victory and defeat. Discriminatory language, hate speech, threats, spam, and other forms of harassment or illegal behaviour will not be tolerated.
2. Play fairly and within the rules of the game. Don’t cheat, AFK, grief, exploit bugs and glitches, or impersonate others.
3. Keep account information safe and private. Giving access to your account puts you at risk. Do not share your account information or the account information of others.
4. Good luck and have fun!

If you see players not respecting the Fortnite code, please reach out to us by contacting ‘Player Support’ We will investigate all feedback and take action if or when necessary.

Summary

If your kids are younger than 13, it might be a good idea to turn off the open chat, which can attract chatter from strangers of all ages, not always appropriate for kids. And while Fortnite is free to play, there’s an in-game currency that allows players to make a number of purchases for everything from upgrades and extra levels to games skins and costumes.

So if your credit card is attached to your account be sure your children aren’t going on a Fortnite shopping spree and maxing your card out without your knowledge! Perhaps the biggest challenge for parents when their kids are playing Fornite is managing screen time. If it was up to your kids, they’d no doubt play all day and all night, and ignore their chores, homework and bedtime. So set the rules when they first start playing and stick to them strictly.

Tips to Limit Screen Time

1 Set a schedule and don’t negotiate
Some parents choose a daily limit. It could be as little as 30 minutes to a couple of hours, but be firm – kids will inevitably try to negotiate

2 Binge Day
Another option could be having certain times or days dedicated to gaming., such as Saturdays. Kids then know they’re not allowed to have screen time during the week, but weekends are different! This will help establish boundaries too.

3 Downloading a Tracking App
If you’re really worried, a tracking app can help you find out how long they’re online and give you an idea about what kinds of boundaries to set.

4 Set a good Example
If you’re always on your phone or tablet, then you can hardly expect your kids’ behaviour to be any better! Help them by setting a good example yourself.

5 Tech-Free Weekends
Once in a while, ban screen time for all the family. You could discover a whole new way for everyone to connect and enjoy each other’s company.

I hope this helps debunk any questions or worries you have the game.

Mike Clemens

ICT Lead Teacher

Sources

Kitchin, S. (Ed.). (2018, October 8). Ultimate Guide To Fortnite Battle Royale. Woman's Day, 1-16.

Should my kid play Fortnite Battle Royale? PARENTS REVIEW & FORTNITE ADVICE FOR PARENTS. (2018, March 10). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR2ibAA1Azc