As a parent, you may have heard about online gaming for kids and teenagers and famous names such as Roblox and Minecraft, but Fortnite is one of the kids' favorites to play around. But - do you know what it is about?
In short, Fortnite is a battle-royal game that is available on almost all platforms, such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The video game itself is free, but beware, as it has the option to buy things within the game, such as skins, music, as well as a membership called Battle Pass that will give you tons of gifts and perks whenever you level up in the game.
The idea of the game is very similar to The Hunger Games movie, in which the last one standing (either individual or team) wins the game. However, as there is some implicit violence and a variety of guns in the game, the aesthetic of the gameplay drives the audience to a more “cartoonish, bloodless” style.
But, once again - as a parent, what are the benefits for my kids to play Fornite? Well, everything has pros and cons, and we will help you out - with our own experience, to shape an opinion around the game.
What we like about Fortnite is that you can play with your family and close friends, and talk while playing; you can set strategies and direction on what your team would like to do, strengthening their teamwork skills. On the downside, this can also apply to conversations and relationships with strangers. This means a player can be exposed to bullying or angry teenagers that will make the session unpleasant. We’d advise keeping an eye on who our kids are talking to and how they behave.
Problem-solving skills are also present. Such things as being creative to build a fort, or the way on how to address an in-game challenge, help us to think creatively and to think out of the box. This will train them to think fast because time is running and you may need to complete the tasks before the round is over!
Last but not least, what we also like about the game is the short duration of the sessions. On average, one game session will last from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your skills and the rhythm of the game. This short time frame could also make us a bit addicted to the game, as we would like to try more and get a better ranking in our next session. As you may already have in place, some screen-time check is needed, looking after video games, mobile phones, and tablets.
Next time, whenever your kid is showing you how to play Fortnite, we would highly encourage you to give it a try. It might hook you up from the beginning but you will better understand the dynamics, pros, and cons of the gameplay!
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