Fortnite: Battle Royal is the latest online video game craze to have swept the world, but experts have warned that such games encourage young people to buy costumes and weapons.The biggest online gaming craze to have swept the world since Pokémon Go, the strategy-based survival game has gained over 40 million users, but Dr Jane Rigbye, of GambleAware, warns that ‘free’ games can be anything but.
Concern
Speaking of Fortnite: Battle Royal and its ilk, Dr Rigbye said:“These games often have content with similar characteristics to gambling.“This is a concern as we run the risk of normalising gambling for children.”Roz Page, who claims her son, 10-year-old Matthew is addicted to Fortnite, had ran up a phone bill of over £130 in just half an hour, said:“You need a credit card linked to the game to play. He is now doing chores to pay back the money.”The concerns surround a mobile version of the game, which was previously limited to console and PC games.Making over £1 million for developer Epic Games in just three days, the mobile version of Fortnite topped the Apple iPhone chart in 13 countries in March (2018).
Loot boxes
Mobile titles from Epic Games are characterised by the existence of loot boxes, features added into games that allow players, regardless of age, to purchase weapons and accessories to increase their chances of winning.It has been revealed that one in six children between the ages of 11 and 15 gamble every week, and over 25,000 youngsters have problems with gambling.Loot box games are thought by many to be a main factor in this issue, and the Belgium Gaming Commission is the first to consider a blanket ban on all loot box games, with other jurisdictions expected to consider following suit.