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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:
Boooommm · 17/05/2018 23:11

My two oldest play (11 and 12). If I let them they would be on it all the time. They get really involved and afterwards are a bit hyper. They are allowed to chat with kids I know and no one else. We only have screens 3 days a week for an hourish a day and theh choose this everytime. A coupke of months ago we had a week with bo fortnite as they were getting pretty obsessed. Calmed down now. It is exhilarating, I have the odd game. Not very graphic but addictive.

Boooommm · 17/05/2018 23:12

sorry for typos!

CalF123 · 18/05/2018 14:33

@Boooommm

Do you believe in conspiracy theories about screen time? 3 hours a week for a 12 year old is ludicrously strict and failing to prepare them for the modern world.

Boooommm · 18/05/2018 14:55

@calF123 - I'm not too concerned about them being prepared for 'modern life' I'm not convinced gaming is the most productive way to prepare yourself for it. They do loads of IT and coding etc for homework and go to some coding club at school. my ds is are far more techie than I am and seem to survive ok. They go on social media a bit but apart from an initial interest into Instagram and whatsapp got bored with the endless mundaneness of it. As well as the petty dramas it seems to entail. They have an Xbox and go on for their three hours and get obsessed by some current game which at the moment happens to be fortnite and a phone which they will play some games on if we go on long car journeys. Mine are all sport and music obsessed so half their time is running around fields or in the park with mates, or making, learning of listening to music. 12 year old also has loads of mates into music too and are in a band. He also loves reading, is in Scouts ( so just about every other weekend is camping or on some sort of outdoor activity during the summer) and going bike riding. He also loves drawing. The school is great for after-school clubs and he seems to go to something everyday after school. TBH I'm not sure when he would fit it all in. I'm not really sure what he is missing out on to be honest or how he will not be prepared for modern life?

worridmum · 18/05/2018 16:05

Hello kitty world is a 12 too as it has chat features its silly but thats what the rating is about not the content the chat messages minecraft is also a 12......

cofeeisawesome · 27/12/2018 02:29

oooooooooof

cofeeisawesome · 27/12/2018 02:31

Any one can play np blood this post is stupid
just like an off brand reddit

araiwa · 27/12/2018 02:37

According to many on mn theres about a day window where playing computer games is ok.

Too young too young too young, 3 days of ok, now youre too old and its sad

Loveweekends10 · 27/12/2018 02:37

Bought it for my daughter who is 13. Realised my mistake when I heard her shout ‘yes that’s my first kill’. Not suitable for any child I think.

Adversecamber22 · 27/12/2018 02:46

The free one is actually player killing player, PvP, the paid version is co operative play with teams of up to four players killing zombies.

I play Fortnite and played the original pong so gaming for forty years as one of my main hobbies, the others were running, hockey and crafts. Attended a red brick university and worked in higher education for 21 years. It’s not all doom and gloom.

MrsTerryPratcett · 27/12/2018 03:11

The. Venn diagram of 'children who swear and bully other children' and 'children who are allowed to play Fortnite' at my child's school is pretty much a circle. Not suggesting it's causative, but there's definitely a correlation.

masterandmargarita · 27/12/2018 07:54

In my house its no age. It's not crossing our virtual threshold.

Lucyccfc · 27/12/2018 09:33

My DS plays it (13). It's a strategy game, with cartoon violence. We have rules in place. I see and have a go of every game he plays (I do my research first). He has to do his homework first, tea-time at the table is tech free and it goes off at 9pm. He can only talk to his friends online and not strangers. He does get annoyed at times, but he gets annoyed if he isn't winning at table football or his favourite football team loses.

Yes, it can be addictive, but that's where rules and boundaries come in.

My DSIS doesn't allow her DS (11) to play it, as it's dangerous, but has allowed him to play GTA.

Do your research and set boundaries.

BaronessBomburst · 27/12/2018 09:56

For those of you saying that it's violent and that they use guns, would you let your children play laser quest for a birthday party?
Because that's guns and killing other players too.
After research, I let DS play the free version. Chat is off, screen time is limited, and he generally plays with DH. Any moodiness or aggression and it's a 24 hr ban, with a reminder that it's a game and supposed to be fun. I don't think the aggression and moodiness are necessarily caused by the game though as he seems to be at an age where he can get moody and aggressive at his homework.

upthefoxes · 28/12/2018 04:15

This reply has been deleted

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VictoryRoyaleMummy · 29/12/2018 02:57

Probably around 3-5 years.

ItsNearlyOver · 29/12/2018 09:52

ICantCopeAnyMore- Being a teacher and a parent doesn't make you right (while you may very well be great at both, there are some crap parents and crap teachers, and also some terrible teachers win awards).

I share concerns about teachers including fortunate activities in their teaching activities for children that are under 12. I'd be really unhappy if teachers at DS's school did this Angry.

MrsTerryPratchet - Same Ven diagram exists at my DS's school. Interesting.

IceRebel · 29/12/2018 10:10

stop sheltering your precious little shits and let them play it otherwise they are going to get one hell of a shock when they enter the real world

This post is batshit. How does letting a child play an addictive video game prepare them for the real world?

ItsNearlyOver · 29/12/2018 17:27

*fortnight! Not fortunate!!

Burnt0range · 29/12/2018 17:29

12 (as others have stated) and I let my almost 11 year old play it. He loves it and has fun playing with his friends. The content really isn't anything to worry about IMPO.

GlitterStick · 29/12/2018 17:38

It's 12. With the poster saying it turns players into sweaty bad tempered pricks.
So true!
Definitely not suitable for 9 year olds, stay away from it as long as you can, the arguments it causes is unreal.

ADastardlyThing · 29/12/2018 17:44

I don't go by the formal age ratings and use my own judgement.

My 9 yo DS and 7 yo DS both play it. I wouldn't have let my 9 yo play it when he was 7 as he wouldn't have handled it great at that age I don't think.

FuckingYuleLog · 29/12/2018 17:46

Absolutely fine for any child old enough to be gaming.
But some people like to blame it for their child’s behavioural problems and their own inability to enforce time limits.

smackbangwhollop · 29/12/2018 17:51

It's banned in our house and my DS is 12. As is Clash of the Clans and quite a few others. Our school sent out so many warnings because it was causing all sort of behaviour problems in class. It's a highly addictive game and to be honest some doors should remain shut. There's no going back when you open it. I've heard horrible stories from friends who have let their kids play it because they said everyone else does. I don't want that challenge.

MetalMidget · 29/12/2018 17:58

With the age ratings, it's also worth remembering that games are rated a lot more harshly than films, so if you're OK with your child watching the Marvel or Star Wars films (which are generally 12a), then you'll be fine with the level of violence in Fortnite.

Parents just need to keep an eye on the chat and in-app purchase settings, plus their child's behaviour to make sure that they're not too bad losers/too obsessed - this obviously isn't limited to Fortnite, you can get the same behaviour with boardgames or team sports.

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