The F-Word
Are you the parent of a child between the ages of 8 and 25? If so, you’ve probably heard them say the F-word. They say it to their peers all the time. They say it in class, at the dinner table, and even in church. I’m not talking about THE F-word. You know, the one that Ralphie accidentally lets slip in “The Christmas Story”? No, I’m talking about the other F word… Fortnite.
Many parents that I have spoken to allow their children to play the wildly popular game, but the majority admit they don’t know much about it. It is difficult to make time in an already hectic schedule to learn about the latest video game craze. That’s understandable. I’ve created a “Cliff’s Notes” type of summary of the things you need to know about Fortnite as a parent, along with some ways to connect with your kids through the game.
Playing the Game
There are several ways to play the game, but the most popular is Battle Royale. One hundred players compete to be the last person or team standing. Players can choose to battle solo (alone), in duos with a friend, or in squads with three other players.
The game begins with players leaping out a flying bus as it passes over the battleground. Competitors deploy their parachutes and navigate their way to the ground. Once they’ve landed, players need to arm themselves by searching buildings, homes, factories, trucks, etc. for weapons and other items that range in ability and availability. The arsenal available consists of simple handguns all the way to rocket launchers.
The goal is to survive by eliminating all the other players or teams. The winning player or team earns a Victory Royale. A storm surrounds the outskirts battleground at the start. Every few minutes the storm closes in, forcing players toward the center and ensuring the fast-paced action. It’s no Super Mario Brothers 3, but I will admit, the game is fun to play.
Terminology
There are several terms and phrases you should be familiar with to understand the world of Fortnite better.
● Skin - A skin is a costume players can wear. Skins allow a player to stand out while on the battlefield. Most skins can be purchased, but a few can also be won by achieving a specific tier.
● Seasons - Fortnite is divided into seasons. The game is currently in Season Five which is set to end on Sept 24th. Seasons are approximately ten weeks long. When a season changes, there are new locations added to the map and new cosmetic upgrades for characters to earn.
● Battle Pass - Fortnite is free to play. A battle pass introduces rewards and challenges which makes the game much more fun to play than the free version. Players can earn skins and other customizations by just playing the game as well as completing the daily and weekly challenges. A new battle pass must be purchased each season. The battle pass costs 950 vBucks, or roughly $9.00.
● vBucks - vBucks are the in-game currency used to buy various upgrades and customizations to a player’s character. 1000 vBucks cost $9.99. There are bonus vBucks available for buying more significant amounts.
Why is it so popular?
Fortnite’s popularity can be attributed to several factors. For starters, the game is free to play. Just download the game, create an account, and you’re ready. It’s easy to learn, and the humorous gameplay attracts non-traditional gamers. Fortnite works on standard video game consoles (Xbox, PS, Switch) as well as smartphones, tablets, and traditional computers. Lastly, gamers can easily play with their friends, although some limitations do apply. In short, Fortnite is an entertaining, free game that can be played with friends at home or on the go on most devices that can connect to the Internet.
Is Fortnite violent?
In my opinion, the violence in Fortnite is minimal. The game revolves around gathering weapons and shooting the opposing players, so there is some level of violence, but the vibrant, colorful, cartoon feel to the game sets it apart from games like Call of Duty. The violence contains no blood. Eliminating an opponent is often celebrated by goofy, light-hearted dances called emotes.
What Should I Be Concerned About?
Three themes emerged when researching parenting concerns related to Fortnite. The game connects up to 100 players from around the world for each match. Gamers have few options for controlling who they are playing with. Players can communicate through a voice chat, as well as an onscreen text chat. These communication channels are unmoderated so profanity can be an issue. Strangers chatting with your child is another major red flag. The voice and text chat are options that can be turned off in the game settings. You may want to consider disabling these features depending on the age of your game.
Addiction was the second concern raised by parents. The game’s design uses rewards to encourage gamers to play at least a few matches every day. This is a common tactic in the gaming community. The instant gratification players receive by gaining a tier, picking up a new skin, or earning a Victory Royale can be compared to the short-term high felt from taking drugs. Research studies in recent years led the World Health Organization to declare “video game addiction” an official disorder at their annual conference in January 2018. Younger players run the risk of becoming addicted to the game. Properly enforced time limits along with parental supervision can be used to avoid this in your household.
The final common theme was unintentional or uncontrolled spending. Many parents shared reports of unauthorized Fortnite purchases. Some of these were innocent transactions in which the gamer did not understand the consequences of clicking purchase. Other stories were not as innocent. In some cases, the child knowingly chose the instant gratification from the game over the potential future repercussions of their actions. This is one of the many symptoms associated with video game addiction. All the major gaming systems, as well as smartphones, have controls in place to avoid situations like this, but if you don’t periodically check your settings, unwanted purchases can occur.
Opportunities with Fortnite
Fortnite provides parents with a fantastic opportunity to get children talking about what’s going on in their world. Here are some questions parents can use as conversation starters:
● What’s your coolest skin? Is there one you really want but don’t have yet?
● What’s your favorite mode? Why do you like that one?
● Do you have a preferred weapon? Can you show it to me?
● What tier are you?
● How many Victory Royales do you have?
● Who is your favorite friend to play with online?
● Would you show me how to play?
Like it or not, Fortnite is an integral part of adolescent culture right now. Take advantage of that. Use the information above to make a connection with your young adult and get your own Victory Royale!
Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his eighteen-year career in public education. Currently, Mike is the Director of Technology for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. As an IT director he has developed creative, well thought out solutions that positively impact teaching and learning.