Fortnite is the most recent game to come under fire in the video games addiction controversy. Parents around the world have expressed concerns that the free-to-play Fortnite: Battle Royale mode is addictive, and have even blamed the game for their child’s change in behaviour.
Both American and British morning television programmes have welcomed parents on the shows to talk about their worries.
Comic Book.com reports that Good Morning America discussed the topic with both families and phycologists, whilst British TV show This Morning had both concerned parents and people phoning in a psychologist live on air to talk about their anxieties.
One such parent was Suzanne, who spoke about her son being more isolated as well as experiencing mood swings - something she attributed to the game.
Suzanne says her son stopped socialising and became aggressive and moody when he was told to stop playing the game Fortnite. Here she tells us why she thinks it should have an Age 16+ certificate, but what do you think? pic.twitter.com/th7wKBFcD0
— This Morning (@thismorning) March 7, 2018
Many viewers also took to the This Morning Twitter and Facebook pages to support the game, blaming the parents themselves for having a lack of control over their child and the time they spend gaming every night.
Battle royale modes are a very popular trend right now, with Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) continuing to keep the number one top spot on Steam.
Children are not only spending hours playing the game, but also enjoy watching their favourite YouTube and Twitch streamers playing the well-loved game. Fortnite: Battle Royale has recently eclipsed both PUBG and League of Legends as the most popular game being streamed on Twitch.
The controversy surrounding video games addiction is nothing new to the industry, with the World Health Organisation trying to classify video games addiction as an illness and scientists refuting the claims.
There was also a massive backlash last year about loot boxes in video games being a type of gambling.
President Donald Trump himself has also tried to blame the recent gun violence in the US on video games, and has invited top publishers and America’s video games trade body to come to the White House for a discussion.
