Fortnite Introduces Parental Controls to Manage Game Time

Epic Games, the publisher of the cultural phenomenon Fortnite, has rolled out an array of new parental control features in a recent update. These tools empower parents, guardians, and caretakers to better manage how much time a child spends playing the game, as well as when they can do so.

Launched on October 1, this update functions similarly to Apple's Screen Time feature. According to a post on Epic Games' website, two primary parental control options—Time Limit and Time Report—have been added to regulate access to Fortnite and the Unreal Editor.

Through the Fortnite main menu or the Epic Games account portal online, parents can establish a total time limit for gameplay, designate specific play windows, and determine whether a child can request additional time once the limit has been reached.

When a player is nearing their limit, they will receive an in-game notification indicating they have only 30 minutes left. Once they hit that limit, access to Fortnite will be blocked until the next designated play window, unless a parent grants permission for extra time. The Time Report feature offers detailed insights into gameplay usage, just as its name suggests.

Previous Legal Challenges Faced by Epic Games

While these new controls may not seem groundbreaking on their own, it's noteworthy to consider that in 2023, a parent from Vancouver, B.C., initiated a class-action lawsuit against Epic Games. The lawsuit claimed that Fortnite was designed to be "as addictive as possible" for young players.

The suit, which was reported by CBC, stated that the child began playing the battle royale game in 2018 and subsequently developed "an adverse dependence" on it. At that time, Epic Games announced its intention to "fight these inflammatory allegations."

The current status of the lawsuit remains unclear, but over a year later, it appears that this new update is Epic Games' proactive response to potential future litigation. By equipping parents with enhanced monitoring and control capabilities, the company may be attempting to mitigate liability regarding claims of "addiction."

Ultimately, only time will reveal whether these measures effectively shield Epic from legal repercussions. Regardless, this initiative marks a positive step forward in providing guardians with the necessary tools to take a proactive approach to gaming.