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Original poster

Children & Fortnight

60 replies

BuzzyBuzzyBea · 22/03/2018 05:38

This is a mega multi platform game, from what I can tell it's similar to Minecraft, the killing scenes are maybe a tad more graphic.

Would you or do you let your DC play it? How old are they?

Do you always stick to age recommendations on games?

OP posts:
Faintlinesquints · 22/03/2018 05:50

My dd (11) has been asking for this with her birthday money, a lot of boys in her class play it.

I told her I'd think about it and I've been researching online. Here it has an age rating of 10+, and in the states it's 13+. Many reviewers have stated it's pretty harmless and most saying they'd let their 10 year olds play it, some saying from 8+.

I'm definitely leaning more to allow dd to have the game, I'm not as strict on age ratings as long as I can see for myself what games are like first. Dh seems to not give a shit as I caught him playing gta with dd Angry

I allow her to play sims4 and her younger sister too, who is 9. That is 12+ I believe but the only thing that is a bit inappropriate is when the sims 'woo woo' to make a baby.

IamChipmunk · 22/03/2018 06:21

Im a head of year and this particular game is causing all sorts of bother at the mo. It seems to be very addictive! Ive parents seemingly unable to have any control over their children's computer use! And parents saying they are trying to control it but kids are lying and finding ways to get on to play it! (After parents have gone to sleep!)

My current suggestion to some of my parents is to lock the games console in the boot of the car!

Damia · 22/03/2018 06:30

My son plays it as do his friends at school. He loves it and loves chatting to them on his headset as they play. He seems to be pretty good at it. Only slightly annoying when he starts excitedly shouting down the headset about stuff that's happening. Does make me laugh how happy he sounds though. I suppose he's a bit addicted but only in the way anything you enjoy that is new still and fun. We don't have s problem with it. He is 10.

BarbarianMum · 22/03/2018 06:34

My 12 year old plays it. Ds2 has just turned 10 so is now allowed to play (wasnt at 9) but most of his friends are still more into Roblox so isnt interested just yet.

BarbarianMum · 22/03/2018 06:35

Oh and screen time very limited here so addiction not a problem.

mrsBeverleyGoldberg · 22/03/2018 06:41

How ironic in America it has a higher age rating, when children can own their own gun and kill someone in real life.

jemimarose · 22/03/2018 06:47

My 12 year old plays this alongside his friends - all taking via headphones. He refused to come down for his dinner last night as he couldn't leave the game - I have gave him time limits - food at 6pm......you now have 10 minutes ...... 5 minutes etc.

Consequence - He was promptly banned for the rest of the evening from playing! He will be back on it again tonight BUT he does have time limited and can't choose not to join family for dinner.

himynameiss · 22/03/2018 06:56

As a wife to a husband that plays this I think it’s fine and not graphic. The games about collecting wood building a base and killing zombies. Smile

Thesmallthings · 22/03/2018 07:00

My 9 and 12 year old love this game. It's not gorey or realistic and does take a certain about off thinking and planning.

Rarther that then call of duty that ds1 friends are playing

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 22/03/2018 07:03

Fort nite has age appropriate graphics,and friends play together
I’d recommend headphones with mic Amazon prime sell these at ok price
Like any tech set limits on usage

gabsdot · 22/03/2018 07:04

My 14 year old plays this a lot. Since Christmas his friends have hardly been at our house. They're all at home with their head sets playing fortnight and chatting to/shouting at each other.

OneOfTheGrundys · 22/03/2018 07:06

My 11 yo has it. He enjoys playing and it’s good for him to ‘meet’ his rl friends on it.

The only problem is that one of the is a bit of a weak link and invites strangers into their group to play. We have to keep an eye on that and there have been a few times when DS has walked away from a game because he can hear this boy has included people he doesn’t know.

We have a set time (5pm) every day when they are allowed on screens. As dinner is usually around 6 that ends it. And he knows he has to come to table when called because if he doesn’t the dogs get his dinner.

OneOfTheGrundys · 22/03/2018 07:08

Also, the 16yo that I teach are all addicted. It stretches pretty far over lots of ages!

squiggleirl · 22/03/2018 07:09

DS is 11 and we've said no to it. I don't mind the game itself, and if he could play it off-line he could have it in a heartbeat. It's the fact that you have to play on-line, and you can have up to 100 people playing simultaneously, that means he hasn't got it. He doesn't have 100 friends, and we worry about who might be added to the group as a friend of a friend. Much as we explain, I don't think he fully gets that not everybody is who they say they are. He's slowly understanding that just because somebody says on-line that they're a 12 year old boy doesn't mean they actually are.

SoupDragon · 22/03/2018 07:10

This reads like a journalist request!

DSs play it together - as they are 19 and17 I leave them to it though.

Stumbleine · 22/03/2018 07:14

Do not do it!!

The game is so addictive it has caused so many problems for our household. Ds (who is highly sensitive and can be emotionally volatile anyway), became a complete nightmare since getting it. He could not handle the highly immersive and over stimulating effects of the game. Violent, angry, moody. Unwilling to leave the house.

We have now had to remove the Xbox completely.

AlonsoTigerHeart · 22/03/2018 07:23

I think kids that act up playing it would act up playing any game thb.

Stumbleine · 22/03/2018 08:00

Nope. Ds had played Xbox for several year without such issues before getting this game.

MelanieSmooter · 22/03/2018 08:09

I work with year 7/8, they’re all on it constantly. My boys are year 5/6 and it’s not happening. DS1 has ASD and is far too vulnerable.

SluttyButty · 22/03/2018 08:14

My son is year 8 so almost 13. It is problematic with refusal to get off the console (he’s ASD so I’m fairly used to his obsessions anyway).

I remove the controller and tv control from his room overnight to prevent him going on it and he’s been told that his scooter, which he loves, will be going to work with my husband and staying there until he gets off the gaming platform when asked. I’ve left the ball in his court now.

Juanbablo · 22/03/2018 08:17

It's not graphic, I let my 10 year old play but only for 30 minutes a day.

Fattymcfaterson · 22/03/2018 08:20

My 9Yr old plays it, we already have limits with computer time.
Oh but we turned the chat option off!

Quandary2018 · 22/03/2018 08:24

My DS10 plays it with his friends, he gets 1 hour on weeknights and longer at weekends. He knows to leave the game if anyone he doesn’t know gets added to the group chat.
It is very addictive, it is all he wants to talk about but I think the shine is wearing off a bit as he turned it off early last night saying he’d had enough playing it

TamaraDrankMyMilk · 22/03/2018 08:44

This does read like a journo question but there are 2 versions of Fortnite, one is the zombie one and the other one is PVP (player vs player) where you can play as a solo or a duo.

My two do not play the zombie one. I have watched a video of it, they just keep sporning and coming at you.

The other one is the one my children play, but they are 15 and 12 but I know that lots of primary school children play it on consoles. My sons have gaming computers because their grades and effort at school is outstanding and this is their reward.

Fortnite on computers is much more pro gamer arena and much more difficult to win a match but my eldest has won.

Rocket League (football with cars) is also the latest fad game that lots of children are playing. I hate RL but love Fortnite, and if there was a training arena for Fortnite where I could hone my skills I would be playing it myself.

There are no 18 games in my house. Ds1 has 16 games, Ds2 has 1 x 15 game, but you need to check for mods etc. I am a SAHM so am here when they play, their computers are in a downstairs playroom. Their time is balanced between school work, gaming, family dinner every night and "family time." So balanced.

thisonehasalittlecar · 22/03/2018 08:45

As an aside, can I ask if you need a pretty new xbox to play it? We are thinking of getting one for ds, and I know he's keen to have this game, but will probably be an older one off ebay etc.

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