Prince Harry says ‘Fortnite’ and other addictive games should be banned

Apr 05, 2019

It’s one of the most popular games in history, but if Prince Harry had anything to say about it, playing “Fortnite” wouldn’t be allowed.

What happened: At a YMCA event in west London on Thursday, the Duke of Sussex had no kind words to say about the multiplayer game, according to the BBC.

• “That game shouldn’t be allowed,” Prince Harry said. “Where is the benefit of having it in your household?”
• He added, “It’s created to addict, an addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. It’s so irresponsible.”
• Prince Harry also commented that social media is “more addictive than alcohol and drugs.”

About “Fortnite”: Released by Epic Games in 2017, “Fortnite” is an open-world survival game where players collect resources and make weapons in an attempt to survive for as long as possible, according to NBC News.

It hit explosive levels of popularity after Epic Games dropped “Fortnite Battle Royale,” a free mode where 100 players fight for survival. According to NBC, 10 million people were playing the game mere weeks after it released.

Is Prince Harry right?

Whether excessive video game usage can be classified as an addiction has been the subject of heated debate over the past decade.

According to American Addiction Centers, not all researchers agree that video gaming is harmful, but the benefits of it are less certain.

“The source of the addictive quality of gaming is still unknown, but researchers propose that the process of playing and winning these games may trigger a release of dopamine, a brain chemical that elevates mood and provides a rush of energy,” the AAC writes. “Dopamine is the same neurotransmitter involved in other addictive activities, such as alcohol or drug abuse.”

The BBC reported that 200 divorces occurring in the U.K. between January 2018 and September 2018 mentioned addiction to “Fortnite” and other online games as a reason for the failure of the relationship, this according to a study done by divorceonline.co.uk.

Research about the long-term impact of video games is ongoing.