Five years after it first launched, fortnite continues to be one of the most popular games in the world. The battle royale game developed by North Carolina-based Epic Games has millions of rabid players playing it on multiple platforms. It has a surprisingly broad appeal, attracting players from all ages and even propelling some of its top gamers into new stratospheres of fame. The game also has a hefty revenue stream from players who spend money on extras like costumes and weapons.

The most well-known version of fortnite is the free-to-play Fortnite Battle Royale, which involves dropping into a map alongside 99 other players and fighting to be the last person standing. Kids are drawn to fortnite because it combines two genres (survival and multiplayer) that have been big hits with young gamers. Its cartoonish graphics also make the violence in fortnite less intense than some other video games. In addition, fortnite offers many ways for players to interact socially with other users including private chat rooms and voice or text chats. It has become so popular that it has been a major focus of influencers and YouTubers who create tutorial videos and help players improve their scores.

Some parents are concerned about the potential for fortnite to promote negative behaviors such as bullying, cyberbullying, and even depression and suicidal thoughts in some teens. In addition, some children have been exposed to inappropriate content in fortnite’s online multiplayer community and have been impacted by violent content displayed in the game. For these reasons, some parents choose to limit the time their children play fortnite or use parental controls on their devices.

For parents who decide to allow their kids to play fortnite, it is important to note that the game can be played on a variety of platforms including consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch), computers, Macs, and Android mobile devices. The only platform that currently does not support fortnite is Apple’s iPhone, because creator Epic Games recently went head-to-head with Apple in a public battle over how the company collects in-app purchases from iOS device owners who play fortnite.

For parents who want to limit their child’s screen time, it’s easy to set limits on the number of fortnite matches a day they can play. Since each match typically lasts just 20 minutes, it can be easy for kids to keep racking up games without realizing they’re spending too much time in front of a screen. Some parents find success using a gaming timer or other methods for setting limits on screen time, while others use strategies like a family gaming night to enforce rules and provide positive incentives for good behavior.