Is Fortnite Taking Over Our Lives? The Impact of Gaming Addiction
Fortnite, a popular online video game, has been dominating the gaming industry since its full release six years ago. Despite its age, the game is now more popular than ever, thanks to a series of new additions that have accumulated more gameplay hours than many other popular game series combined.
November and December were record-breaking months for Fortnite, with a 150% increase in gameplay time, reaching a staggering 1.6 billion hours in November alone. This growth continued into December, with an additional 9% increase in gameplay time.
This unprecedented surge in popularity can be attributed to the introduction of three new game modes – Lego Fortnite, Fortnite Festival, and Rocket Racing – giving both new and old players a reason to dive back into the game.
Diverging from the traditional battle royale format, each game mode introduced something unique, such as survival and building in Lego Fortnite, or competitive racing in Rocket Racing. The game also returned to its roots, allowing players to play on the original map and in the classic game mode.
With these new additions combined with the holiday season, Fortnite undoubtedly became the most popular game during those months. Other giants in the gaming world, such as Roblox, GTA, and the Call of Duty series, were overshadowed as Fortnite accumulated more gameplay hours than all of these games combined.
While the numbers are impressive, this excessive amount of monthly gameplay time may not necessarily be praiseworthy. With the deepening addiction to today’s most popular video games, those who become addicted to the virtual world may suffer in their real lives.
In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized video game addiction as a real behavioral disorder, similar to gambling. Video game addiction affects up to 8.5% of young players, and this number is likely to continue growing as the industry evolves.
While video games can be a way for many children and teenagers to connect with peers, parents should be aware of how much time their children spend playing video games and help them set appropriate boundaries.
Previous reports from Movieguide® have highlighted video game addiction as a real problem that affects thousands of teenagers and robs them of joy in every aspect of life.
Logan Visser, a wrestler at Brigham Young University, personally experienced the addictive nature of video games. Upon arriving at college, Visser’s favorite pastime took over his life and became a problem he couldn’t control.
The 18-year-old told The New York Post how he would play League of Legends all night and sleep through the day. During his first semester, Visser gained weight and failed most of his classes.
“When you’re so deep into it, you have a lot of shame, and the only place you can turn is what’s causing all your problems,” he said.
“Gaming just took over. I was completely wasting my life,” he added. “I wanted to get better at something that ultimately doesn’t matter.”
Video game addiction is a serious issue that can have detrimental effects on individuals’ lives. While gaming can be enjoyable and even beneficial in moderation, it is essential to maintain a healthy balance and prioritize real-life responsibilities.
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The source of the article is from the blog yanoticias.es