How Old Do You Have to Be to Play Fortnite? Parent’s Guide

Fortnite has been surrounded by hype and craze for ages with a seemingly limitless fanbase, and its popularity amongst younger audiences has increased significantly over the past few years. But, considering that this is a first-person shooter game, many parents have been wondering how old you have to be to play Fortnite.

The official PEGI rating for Fortnite is 12+, while the ESRB classifies Fortnite as a T-rated game (teenagers) suitable for players aged 13+. Many feel that 13+ or 14+ is more appropriate since players will be exposed to mild violence as well as unavoidable profanity and mature language in chat.

Although there are many Fortnite players and many are significantly younger than suggested, there are some aspects that may make it more acceptable amongst more lenient parents. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about Fortnite’s age-appropriateness, including the minimum age for playing the game as well as aspects to consider before letting your child play Fortnite.

How Old Must You Be To Play Fortnite?

Fortnite definitely has a ton of love, from cartoonish characters, iconic themes, legendary collaborations between Fortnite and other titles, and many elements that make it compelling to play – not to mention, incredibly attractive for kids. There are vast, eye-catching landscapes to explore, challenges to keep you entertained, some awesome Fortnite skins to rock, tons of unique weapons, and much more.

Some have said that Fortnite is suitable for players aged 10 years old and above, but the typical age rating for Fortnite fluctuates between 12 and 13 years old. At the same time, the recommended age is any player above the age of 13 or 14 years old.

Fortnite technically has an official PEGI (Pan European Game Information) rating of 12 years old, which means that it would theoretically be suitable for anyone above the age of 12. However, ESRB has classified Fortnite with a T rating due to the somewhat violent content, meaning that it would only be suitable for teenagers at least, with a minimum age of 13 years old.

With all that being said, some have increased the recommended age for playing Fortnite, bumping it up to a minimum age of 14 years old. This is primarily due to the other aspects that are featured in Fortnite, rather than the elements within the game itself – which we’ll touch on later.

While these age ratings are pretty similar, many within the community feel that 13 or 14 is the better age to start playing Fortnite (at least), and would always be helped by a PG approach until the player gets older. But, a lot of the debate around the age restrictions is due to exposure to certain topics, so it will ultimately come down to the lifestyle and level of maturity that each pre-teen or teenager has – as well as what parents are comfortable with.

Is Fortnite Appropriate for Kids?

Fortnite is not the most gruesome game out there, making it more acceptable for younger-than-average gamers around the world. But, there are still a few factors to consider (which may or may not be a deal-breaker for parents), and some aspects that probably make letting a child play Fortnite a pretty bad idea.

Is Fortnite Violent?

While the main concept of Fortnite’s Battle Royale is pretty violent and aggressive, the game itself does not overdo it in this department. The animations and overall aesthetics do not focus on blood and gore. Instead, the defeated enemies will simply vanish from the playing field once they’ve been eliminated.

In addition, there is also the Party Royale option – a more friendly alternative with an explorative environment for those seeking a less violent experience. Instead of shooting at opponents in order to be the last one standing at the end of the round, players have no weapons and no one kills or dies.

But, the concept of Fortnite’s main element, Battle Royale, is still violent at the core, and Fortnite does have some horror elements here and there. Older viewers and gamers generally establish a certain barrier between the gaming world and reality, enabling them to play with a mature level of understanding.

Young players or even children likely won’t have this mindset and are typically quite impressionable. So, it’s generally not a good idea to expose them to such concepts at such young ages.

Is Fortnite Addictive?

Fortnite itself is not more addictive than any other video game, although it may be super fun to play and hard to walk away from. Researchers have found that true Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is not usually due to becoming addicted to a specific game – it is very rare, and may be associated with other conditions or issues, such as ADHD or depression.

However, it’s very easy for any gamer to fall into the “just one more” trap, especially when playing a game as captivating as Fortnite. This applies to gamers of all ages depending on how much they love the game, and it may be even more complex for younger gamers.

But, older gamers generally don’t have the luxury of getting sucked in for too long – considering other responsibilities like work, health, sleep, having to get your own food, and much more, for example. Children, on the other hand, do not have the same level of commitments, so it’s much easier for them to plant themselves in front of their screens for hours or even days on end.

Parents may be able to manage the time that their kids spend playing Fortnite and help evade the game’s potentially addictive nature. But, it’s definitely something that can start to tamper with other responsibilities and an overall healthy lifestyle if kids are left to their own devices.

Mature Imagery

While the concept of shooting other players is already pretty mature, many Fortnite players have found that some of the skins in Fortnite are somewhat out there. Some of the female skins in particular are quite suggestive, but sex and nudity are not featured in Fortnite at all.

Fortnite Will Feature Mature/ Offensive Language

The main aspect of Fortnite that can be risky for younger audiences revolves around the social element – primarily due to the game’s live, unmoderated chat between Fortnite console and PC players. Chatting with other players will definitely expose the player to uncontrollable topics and language, particularly in Battle Royale.

Of course, this is not to point fingers at other players in Fortnite, apart from certain comments that are downright unacceptable regardless of age. The majority of Fortnite players are older, and the vast majority of the Fortnite community is at least in their mid-late teens, so the mature side of the community does still have a certain amount of freedom in this aspect.

It is quite common for just about any Fortnite player to be exposed to offensive language or mature adult speech through the game’s online chat feature via on-screen text, or even voice chat. While there are certain filters in place, many incidences are essentially unavoidable while playing Fortnite.

Fortnite is definitely one of the most hyped and influential gaming titles of all time, but it may not be the best fit for kids. This does not mean a child has to skip out on all the gaming world fun, as there are some awesome video games that are suitable for younger audiences out there.

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