Let them Play Fortnite

Here’s a blog that every parent dreads… I’m sitting here talking about the greatest lessons in life and here comes an entry about how I support my kids playing Fortnite.  Parents around the world dread their kids going into a room, closing the door and gaming for hours and no doubt that Fortnite might have carried some addictive qualities to the game that caused them to play WAY more than we as parents wanted… but at the same time, here I am saying… Thank you Epic Games and thank you Fortnite.

Okay, haters… let me start by making a few things clear.  All things come in moderation, so I’m not saying they should play countless hours on a sunny day behind a controller with headphones on, but in the realm of games they COULD be playing… I’ll take this one any day.  I say that for a few reasons:

• No Gore – In the game, players are “teleported” away by some robot-drone thing after they lose their health.  You don’t see blood flying anywhere and the dramatic kills in other games the glorify death is removed to a robotic and non-glamorous event in the battle field.
• Imagination runs wild – For those that haven’t seen the “Minecraft” like qualities of the games, players not only try to eliminate other players, they mine for materials, build elaborate forts, and their creativity is tested as they rush to defend positions.  In doing so, it tests the players minds to think fast, understand how they are manipulating their environment and create.  — I think more creativity is being born out of this aspect of the game than most kids might get in schools.
• Strategy and Teamwork – Perhaps one of the most interesting things I’ve seen is the way in which the game promotes strategy and teamwork.  While the players in squad modes work together, they constantly are working to move as a team, aid other players and work together to execute systems of strategies.  The other day, I passed my son playing with his friends on a squad and started saying, “Raider 9” as he played.  — I asked him later… he said it meant that there was a solo player getting ready to attack his squad from the West (nine o’clock).  Kind of cool to see them develop their own code-language to quickly discuss situational awareness with their teammates.
• Quick Decisions – I’ve been really impressed in seeing my kids develop as they play the game.  Originally, they were sitting ducks, but over time, they’ve learned how to react fast.  When they hear sounds, their fingers instantly go to work.  When they see areas of the map that clearly offer better positioning, they know where to look in the event of others coming after them.  This eye – ear – fingers – brain combination working together does help them in real-life situations as well.
• Parental Controls –  My cyber-security brain says this is the best part of the game.  Because you get to choose your friends and players, and parents have access to appropriate controls, you can feel safer about your child playing online (this does vary from console type).  Regardless, this NEVER means you should never look in and rely purely on the parental controls, but it does give you some freedom to know the designers were thinking about us as they put this game together.

Okay, now the hard part for me to communicate.  I fear for our youth right now.  Technology is moving at an insane speed and the jobs that our children will have, have not even been created yet.  Moreover, the skilled jobs that will offer long-term employment for them will require insane creativity, great communication, journeyman-experience and the ability to focus keenly on the tasks at hand.  Like it or not… this game promotes all of that in a (relatively) safe environment without a lot of risk to parents.  There is a good chance in the future, our kids will be “bio-warriors” who pilot miniaturized drones through patients bloodstreams shooting cancerous cells in a video-game like environment… there is a good change in the future, our kids will be operating machinery capable of doing things far beyond what our human bodies can do in a virtual-reality world… and in any case above… Fortnite represents skills that get them ready.

Yes… moderate their gameplay… but Fortnite… thank you.  I’m dreading the next blood-and-gore… shoot-em up game that is going to come out sometime soon.  That’s the game where I’ll be working hard to rip my kids hands off those controllers and get them back to a safe place… like Fortnite.