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Original poster

Fortnite - Suitable for ds 7&10?

21 replies

zippyswife · 21/12/2019 08:00

We’re getting PS4 as a joint present for ds 7 & 10. They’ve asked to play fortnite at friends houses before and I’ve said no without knowing much about it. Is this suitable for their age and what should I be concerned about? I know I’m late to the game with this but want to make an informed decision rather than lazily saying no as I’ve done until now.

OP posts:

JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 21/12/2019 08:12

My 7 and 10 year olds play it. I’m fairly liberal though. It involves killing animated people.

Thistles24 · 21/12/2019 08:18

Don’t do it! Mine started playing it at the same ages last year, it’s caused so many arguments in our house. Seems to be way more addictive than any other game, and their behaviour changed once they started playing it. We took a month break from it, behaviours improved. They still go on it, but I have quite strict time limits- one of DS2 (age 7!) friends is often on till midnight and wakes at 5 to go on and play

Bumpinthenight · 21/12/2019 08:21

Don't do it. It is a PEGI 12 for a start.

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Hoppinggreen · 21/12/2019 08:21

10 year old fine, I would let DS play it at 7.
It’s not gory or too graphic but it’s very “manic” if that makes sense and I don’t think playing it is very good for them and I believe it’s specifically designed to be addictive and encourage extra spending.
I let 11 year old DS play (since age 10) but not for too long. We have rules around it and it is monitored. If he breaks any of the rules he has to come off and has a 24 hour ban

Hoppinggreen · 21/12/2019 08:21

Sorry, I wouldn’t let a 7 year old play

chillykiwi · 21/12/2019 08:25

No, don't! It causes so many arguments as it's addictive. It's a 12 but I'd be more concerned about regulating the time spent on it.

yorkshiregodscountry · 21/12/2019 08:26

My 8 year old plays it and have no issues.

f00k · 21/12/2019 08:35

My 8yr old plays it. There's no blood. Players respawn, they don't die. It's very cartoonish. We have all communication turned off on it though so DS can't speak to or hear anyone, nor can he send or receive messages.

Bluedogyellowcat · 21/12/2019 08:42

I theory it’s fine, it’s totally inoffensive despite the killing. In practice don’t do it to yourself, it’s addictive and they become obsessed, rude and aggressive when playing.

Widowodiw · 21/12/2019 08:45

The arguments we had over this were horrendous. Now 2 months since he stopped playing it -his own choice- and it’s bliss.

jaggynettle · 21/12/2019 08:48

My 8 year old plays it. Our PS is in the lounge so she's always supervised. It's not gory or graphic.

Instagrump · 21/12/2019 08:52

I'm not sure I would call it addictive. Addiction is something else. Something you have no control over. Fortnite is just something children really, really enjoy and as such, don't want to stop playing. My DS plays it and he's 7. I just maintain control as we parents should. If I hear him getting shouty at it, it gets turned off. If he talks back? Off. If I say, "Right, Fortnite off please" it's either instantly turned off or he'll ask if he can finish his match first. Which I usually allow.

The point is to go around killing other players but I wouldn't actually describe it as violent per se. Well, no more than kids playing Cowboys and Indians. There's no gore. The players "die" by becoming beams of light before respawning elsewhere.

Fortnite is fine. And if your kid refuses to come off it, it's not a simple game's fault.

ZeldaPrincessOfHyrule · 21/12/2019 09:06

God no. It's not the content as much as the setup that makes it really hard for kids to put down. Because it's co-op online with their friends, you accumulate rewards and it's of a 'just one more game!' kind of nature, it's really hard to get them to stop at a given time and walk away. So many young kids really struggle with that, and the resulting behaviour has lots of parallels with addiction. It's pegi 12 for a reason, and in the case of Fortnite I'd stick to that.

TowerRingInferno · 21/12/2019 09:08

No.

Depends on the children but mine became vile after playing it (And were a little bit older) so it has been banned here ever since.

marvelousways · 21/12/2019 09:19

ageree with the others - don't do it. I let my ds play it on the xbox when he was 9.5 . The change in his behaviour was awful. He would get really, really obsessed with it. He became wound up, angry, rude - all the time. It was awful. Evenytually , after 11 million arguments about it I banned it totally. Within a few weeks there was a dramatic improvement in DS behaviour. DS is now nearly 12. I have asked him a couple of times if he would like to be allowed back on it but he himself always says no - even he can see how it was really unhelpful for him.
It was only ever this game that casued these problems. All other games he plays he is fine with, abides by the time limits, doesnt react badly etc...

Llareggub · 21/12/2019 09:19

What is banned becomes very desirable. Mine play (youngest is 10 though) but they mix it up with FIFA and Minecraft. I’d say FIFA causes the main arguments in this household; they get very competitive.

I don’t necessarily restrict their game play. Neither watch any television. I just make sure that I have some other desirable activities planned to get them away from their bedrooms.

My 13 year old is pretty good at self regulating his play and will often walk away. The 10 year old, not so much. But he will happily play in the park for hours so I don’t worry so much about that.

I have noticed some positive things that have come out of their gaming. We often play together as a family, which can be a lot of fun.

MrsHerculePoirot · 21/12/2019 09:23

This is a great website to check what kids and parents think about games/films etc...

www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/fortnite

tornmum1 · 21/12/2019 09:30

Eh, my DCs have been playing for many years, back when it wasn't the word on every newsreaders lips mind you, and they didn't bother to ask as it was free, they started when they were ten, now they're 12, so I would get it for your oldest.

PoptartPoptart · 21/12/2019 09:49

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of letting underage kids play it (it’s got a 12 rating) I have to warn you it is VERY addictive. You will spend your life trying to get them off it.

chillykiwi · 21/12/2019 11:45

My teen reckons it's not addictive like FIFA is with the packs you have to open to get better as it's like it's gambling. Fortnite was like that with Save the World apparently but it's now, he says it's not addictive as he could stop playing it but he enjoys the interaction with his mates, he says it's a good way to spend time with them and socialise.

PP, pont taken about it not being addictive, I pretty much meant what you said.

Macca84 · 21/12/2019 11:48

Absolutely fine for them to play - just make sure you change the chat settings so they can't communicate with strangers and set a sensible play time limit

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