FORTNITE EFFECT

For kids, Fortnite is still the game of the moment. Not that this comes as any surprise, since it has everything going for it. It’s free, it’s immediate, tension-filled, complex, rewarding, and every season adds events and new features to explore. It’s a good game!

And like every game kids love, many parents are terrified by it. A visit to the UK parenting forum Mumsnet immediately surfaces threads such as, “Does turn your kid into an arsehole too?” and “F*#@ing … ruining our lives”. They describe their kids “turning into monsters” while playing, and achieving lower grades. has introduced new tension into my household, and it’s made me realize that my attitude to my kids playing games like it is a lot less laissez-faire than I ever thought it would be.