Fortnite is one of the most popular video games in the world, with millions of players worldwide. But as a parent, it can be hard to keep up with all the changes and understand what your kids are playing. Here’s a guide for parents to help you understand the basics of Fortnite and how to play with your kids.
What is Fortnite?
Fortnite is an online multiplayer game developed by Epic Games. It combines elements from different genres – such as shooting, crafting and building – into one experience that allows players to build structures, explore new areas, fight enemies and complete challenges to progress through levels. The goal of the game is to survive and be the last player standing at the end of each match.
Why should parents be interested in Fortnite?
As a parent, you want to make sure your child is safe when playing video games, so it’s important to take some time to familiarise yourself with this popular title. Playing together can not only provide quality bonding time between you and your children, but it can also give you the opportunity to monitor their gaming habits and make sure they’re making good decisions while they’re playing.
How do I get started with Fortnite?
Before you get started, you should first download the game onto either your computer or console (Xbox or PlayStation). If you don’t have either of these options, you can download it for free to your mobile device via Google Play or the Apple App Store. Once downloaded, you will need to create an account using either an email address or a social media platform before you can start playing.
What are some tips for playing Fortnite?
Playing Fortnite can sometimes be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing – so here are some basic tips to help make things smoother:
1) Learn about weapons and resources
As mentioned above, there are many different types of weapons available in the game, which can make it quite difficult to fend off opponents if you’re not properly prepared beforehand. Make sure you know which types of weapons/items work best against which types of enemies to give your child an advantage when going into battle!
2) Take breaks
Despite Fortnite’s emphasis on competing against other players to win matches, it’s still important for kids to take regular breaks during their sessions to avoid fatigue or even burnout from too much screen time at once. Taking a break every hour or two during intense gaming sessions will help prevent exhaustion and keep player morale high!
3) Customise looks and outfits
A great way for kids (and adults!) to express themselves in the game is by customising their characters’ looks and outfits with different skins and cosmetics, which can be purchased from the item shop or earned by completing challenges/missions within fortnightly seasons, such as Black Knight Fortnite. Allowing kids to choose how they want their characters to look adds personalisation and fun to each session.
4) Team up with friends
While playing solo may seem more fun than teaming up with others due to its competitive nature, having friends join forces makes it easier for everyone involved to take on missions together, as there’s strength in numbers! Encourage your child(ren) to find teammates with similar goals/motivations to make working towards goals more enjoyable!
5) Stay safe online
With any online activity comes potential security risks, such as scammers trying to steal information or malicious individuals trying to disrupt the gaming experience, so it’s important to remind kids to always use common sense when engaging with strangers via voice chat options (especially those involving money transactions). Make sure they’re aware that they should never give out personal information online without first getting permission from a trusted source!
How can parents help foster positive gaming habits?
Parents have an important role to play in helping their children develop positive gaming habits; setting expectations early on about screen time limits and acceptable gameplay behaviour goes a long way towards instilling responsible habits later on – especially when done consistently across multiple platforms/genres! Encouraging discussions around the importance of a healthy balance between electronic entertainment and life outside of the digital realm will also keep them mindful of the potential consequences of over-engaging in virtual worlds, rather than focusing on more tangible activities!
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that Fortnite has become incredibly popular with gamers (both young and old!), but despite its popularity, there’s still much unknown about this widely played title; so understanding the basics beforehand, planning the necessary steps to keep the experience rewarding rather than overwhelming, is an essential task any parent should undertake before allowing a child to enter the realm of fortnite fun!
