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AIBU?

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Original poster

Does anyone know the age you should be to play Fortnite

128 replies

Pibplob · 17/05/2018 17:07

Have looked online but can’t see yet and thought the answer may be quicker here! My 9 year old wants to play and need to do some research! Thanks.

OP posts:
Piffle11 · 17/05/2018 19:20

I think it depends on the maturity of the child ... certainly no child that has no knowledge about the risks, so I would be uncomfortable with younger kids playing it. There was a big thing in the news a month or two ago about the National Crime Agency flagging it up as a real problem with paedophiles grooming kids on it. So I guess if your child knows what a paedophile is, and is on their guard, then may be ok. My DS is 7 and I won't let him play it - he has a friend (who he sees infrequently) who is 13 and plays it, but this kid is very street smart.

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 19:22

Tavala - that's a parenting issue, not a gaming issue. As both a teacher and the parent of a child that plays Fortnite, children will only be tired if they are allowed to play too much of the game. That's what parenting is for.

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 19:25

Sadly I think many opt out and go for the quiet life

Or, some of us do our own research, realise that gaming actually has a great deal of benefits for child development and parent a gamer child correctly, limiting time and ensuring parental restrictions are in place.

Thankfully I'm an avid gamer myself so I'm all for my child playing. I feel for the children who are keen to play but have parents who can't be bothered to research, or believe all the shit they read in the papers/On Facebook rather than investigating themselves.

Chattymummyhere · 17/05/2018 19:42

It’s not graphic bloody murders or anything. The only issues are possible chat feature but that’s a parent issue not game issue.

If you parent your child correctly and supervise there will be no problem. Our Xbox is in the livingroom, it’s my live account and it’s connected to my phone. My ds knows the basic rules even it chat was on: don’t tell people where you live, don’t tell people your name, don’t tell people the name of your school.

Original poster
Pibplob · 17/05/2018 20:00

Thanks all. He has the free download version so sounds like that’s the best one to have. He also knows he’s not to chat to anyone and the Xbox is in the living area so it’s not as if he’s holed up in his room playing it. Think I will watch him in it tomorrow and see what I think. He’s already pretty obsessed with Minecraft when he gets the chance so I do limit his time on there anyway.

OP posts:
IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 20:11

My 8 year old isn't allowed but all his friends have it and his teachers and football coaches are making games out of the dance moves on it. He's got no idea what they're on about and I think he feels a bit left out. I'm pretty annoyed that the adults around him are reinforcing it tbh. But he knows he's not allowed it until he's older and doesn't argue.

BlueJava · 17/05/2018 20:11

Both my 16 year old DS play it, they self-regulate though and don't play so much at the moment as it's GCSE time. I have found that they meet their mates from school on line and it's actually helped them do more in real life like meet up go for pizza, cinema etc. They know if they don't do jobs as requested (putting away their washing etc) they'll lose internet connectivity so we've not had a problem. As soon as the GCSEs are over with no school I expect several all-night sessions from them and their mates!

HarryLovesDraco · 17/05/2018 20:19

My advice would be to put clear rules in place before he starts playing. Our rules (borne out of experience!!) are no fortnite in the mornings if we have to go anywhere, and a 20 minute warning to get off the game. That should be enough to finish a round and he knows if he starts a new one in that time then he won't be allowed to finish it. I ask how many players are left when I give the warning so he can't pull the wool over my eyes.

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 20:20

You're annoyed that adults are using something that children are really interested in to engage them with learning?

You'd hate my lessons then. They involve Fortnite, Pokemon, Harry Potter, Adventure Time, Minecraft, Teen Titans, Slime and whatever else is on trend at the time like fidget spinners and bottle flipping.

I've won awards for my teaching methods. Never heard anyone complain about using current culture to help children achieve before. How bizarre.

HarryLovesDraco · 17/05/2018 20:22

Iheartkingthistle he could watch YouTube videos of the dance moves if you don't want him to be left out?

Dontknowwhatimdoing · 17/05/2018 20:28

My 10 year old plays the free version, without chatting to anyone. His time on it, as every other game, is strictly limited. I haven't seen anything in the game that concerns me, and his behaviour is fine, so I'd say fine for a 9 year old.

Closethegate · 17/05/2018 20:28

Two weeks ago I went upstairs and could hear my son playing squads with another lad (sounded Canadian).

DS was talking to him and boy was asking him if he’d ever won before, DS is very good and has lots of wins and the boy said to DS he was the only one in his class who didn’t have a win and really really wanted one.

DS was so patient with him, carried him through the game, built a base for him to hide during a big fight and asked the boy to help out by firing the missiles for him.

I could hear the boy getting more and more excited when they got to the end and they only had 2 more people to kill. Boys mum was in the background and I could hear him telling her what was going on.

DS killed the last person and the boy was screaming and shouting that he had won, I could hear what sounded like all his family members in the background going mental!

I was so proud of DS at 10 to be so caring to another kid and not just take the victory for himself and leave the kid to it. DS was so happy with how happy he had made this other lad too. His mum sent DS a message saying thank you!

Fortnite has lots and lots of these stories, its proper old school gaming and a fantastic boxing experience for friends and families.

If your kid is on it too much, parent and turn it off

Closethegate · 17/05/2018 20:29

*bonding. There’s no boxing!

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 20:30

That's so lovely, Closethegate Smile

MetalMidget · 17/05/2018 20:50

The free to play version of Fortnite (the Battle Royale mode, basically last person standing is the winner) is violent in the sense that it features guns, but it isn’t graphic. A player loses all of their health, they fall over, no blood.

It definitely has its bonuses - it encourages strategic thinking, promotes map reading, hand to eye coordination, and with the team modes, teamwork.

The things you’d have to watch out for with younger players include the voice chat as it’s an online game, with the majority of players being adults (you can turn this off in the settings though), and the purchases - although it’s F2P, there are optional purchase options for cosmetic items (outfits, emotes, etc), so make sure that that any parental control options for micro transactions are switched on.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 22:49

@ICantCope no, I'm not annoyed at teachers using current culture to engage kids. I'm a teacher. I do it too. Don't be so bloody condescending.

I'm annoyed that they are assuming he knows references from a game rated 12. He's 8. There are plenty of other things they could be using.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 22:49

@ICantCope no, I'm not annoyed at teachers using current culture to engage kids. I'm a teacher. I do it too. Don't be so bloody condescending.

I'm annoyed that they are assuming he knows references from a game rated 12. He's 8. There are plenty of other things they could be using.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 22:49

@ICantCope no, I'm not annoyed at teachers using current culture to engage kids. I'm a teacher. I do it too. Don't be so bloody condescending.

I'm annoyed that they are assuming he knows references from a game rated 12. He's 8. There are plenty of other things they could be using.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 22:50

Sorry, posted too many times. That's where being irate gets me.

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 22:55

It's only rated 12 due to online chat capabilities, not content.

Domino20 · 17/05/2018 22:57

The pegi 12 rating is based on its connectivity not content. Games with chat features have higher ratings.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 23:01

I don't care why it's a 12 - doesn't change the fact that my kid is still 8. I'll trust the PEGI people over random internet people if that's OK.

ICantCopeAnymore · 17/05/2018 23:02

Poor kid.

IHeartKingThistle · 17/05/2018 23:03

Nice.

Domino20 · 17/05/2018 23:06

😁😁😁 Icantcopeanymore