Fortnight addiction

[NamingShaming]

my 11 year old son appears to be in the grip of a Fortnite addiction. We downloaded it dec 2025 because it had a Simpsons tie-in and he loves the Simpsons. He LOVES the Simpsons and Fortnite. He has twice been caught having stolen to Switch device and logged in at or after bedtime to play - once at a friends sleepover at c. 4am about 2 weeks ago and then again last night. We had put a code on the switch device but had lent it recently and removed the code and therefore he got in. It suggests he has likely tried to get in at all times and been stopped by the code. We also have to keep changing codes on the tv because he cracks them. It really feels like he is in grip of something - like golem and his precious. He did ‘confess’ to his dad last night that he’s nicked the switch and been playing - it does seem like he needs help with an addiction rather than being ‘naughty’. The problem is the consequences- his friends all play and so when he goes for a play date (as he is this weekend) they will be playing Fortnite. We are deleting the game once and for all tonight but I worry that’s every time he sees mates the addiction is fired up again. A bit like being an alcoholic in a pub I suppose. I also worry about the future, secondary school etc where there will be far less we can control.
We’re going to send him to this weekend’s sleepover without the switch so he will be among friends and the only one without a device which feels incredibly awkward but we don’t really know what to do about this when the game is ubiquitous, and obviously it doesn’t have this effect on every kid.
any advice?

Stop being scared to parent your child.

The switch is taken away full stop.

No sleep overs or play dates at other people’s houses for a while, stick to doing them at your house where you can have control over devices.

If you invite his friends over make sure you say to the parents that you’re taking a break from devices so their children don’t bring them.

You say that your child can crack the code on the tv, unless you’re using known dates like birthdays etc I find that hard to believe. He would have to be sat there for hours trying all the multiple number sequences if it were random numbers. So he’s either being left unsupervised for very long periods or you’re exaggerating.

Be direct and clear to him that now gaming has become unhealthy and it’s stopping. Stop tiptoeing around your child and being worried to actually parent.

Give other options to fill his time. Go and buy some puzzles, colouring books, crafts with him to get him excited. Sit down with him and join in. Offer to play board games together or better yet, get out every evening for a walk or to kick a ball around.

Fortnite was horrendous for the short time DS had it, like no other game has been before or since. We thankfully recognised early that he was addicted and it had a terrible effect on his behaviour so we just had to delete it. Cold turkey. He’s never gone back to it. It didn’t go down well, there was a lot of crying, but it absolutely had to happen.

We deleted Fortnite and put a time restriction on the games consoles. We encourage him to do outdoor activities and almost every night after dinner we play a game as a family which we all love (board games, card games). It’s actually my favourite part of the day.

Thanks for sharing. What did you do about your child’s visits to other people’s homes re their gaming habits?

Thank you. I think there is an element of fear because when he is upset he can be very destructive - ripping off his own artwork or his dad’s artwork from the walls etc. He is very determined and will go to his room rather than be with us at times.
I think there is also a fear of being a social pariah if we say no video games at our house, although I do like the idea it is tough as it is totally common for kids to come to one another’s houses with their own switches. We tried for years to say ‘no you can’t bring it’ but we’ve lost the battle as it is the norm.
we have another son who is nine and he isn’t gripped the way our eldest is so we’re trying to support the one with the vulnerability to the addiction while not being injust to the younger one who is able to limit himself. It is very very tough.

Throw the switch and the game away (don’t actually but tell him you have). He can’t have it if it’s making him like this.

As an alcoholic I can sit in the pub while my friends drink. It’s the drinking that’s addictive.

It really isn’t tough. You know it’s causing harm so remove it. There bay be some backlash but just ride it out. Offer him to join you all for a nightly card or board game and sooner or later hell stop storming off to his room and will join you.

If you can after school don’t go home immediately. Bring a ball and head to the park, walk to the shop to get the ingredients to make dinner together. (Pizza bases and toppings, his fave meal etc)

Remind him you’re doing it because you live him and stay strong. Don’t fall for the “everyone else’s parents let them have it.” line. That’s how all these children with smart phones and gaming addictions have ended up where they are, because no parent wants to go against the grain.

Just get rid of it. Even my 13 year old isn’t allowed to play Fortnite. Mine don’t game. They are not social pariahs. They actually leave the house and do things with real people. If he’s destroying things because you set safe boundaries, then you need to sort that out because behaviour like that is neither normal nor acceptable.

Fortnite is evil, my son was banned from playing it for 2 years in primary school as it completely changed his behaviour which he recognised. He is almost 14 now and does play it occasionally with some friends but not often and it doesn't affect him anymore. He would rather play car racing games now

The switch has to go, sell it, and use the money towards it to put him into some kind of hobby, even if hes not keen stick with it, he needs some friends he meets where gaming isnt the focus and getting him out the house, so hes not trying to break various tv passcodes etc. It's an addiction, treat it as such, get rid of it in the house and help with distractions (football, drama club, something)

Honestly, we didn’t have that problem. It was around the time of Covid that we struggled and so DS wasn’t going anywhere.