Prince Harry Says Fortnite Game Should Not Be Allowed

Prince Harry says he thinks Fortnite should not be allowed and he sees no benefit in having the game in a household with children.

The Duke of Sussex, who is expecting his first child with wife Meghan Markle later this month, was speaking at a visit to a YMCA in South Ealing on Wednesday.

He told the audience: “A game like Fortnite for instance may not be so good for children. Parents have got their hands up; they don’t know what to do about it.

“It’s like waiting for the damage to be done and kids turning up on your doorsteps and families being broken down.” 

The Duke also said the game is created to breed addiction and keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. “It’s so irresponsible,” he added.

Fortnite is an online video game developed by Epic Games and released in 2017. It now has over 250 million registered players around the world.

This is not the first time Prince Harry has warned of the dangers of social media, he and his brother the Duke of Cambridge have been vocal on raising awareness around mental health and the dangers of life online. 

At the discussion on Wednesday, where he met with representatives from charities including Stonewall and Young Minds, he said: “Social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol, and it’s more dangerous because it’s normalised and there are no restrictions to it.

“We are in quite a mind-altering time, but quite an exciting time, because everyone in this room has the opportunity to make a real difference.”

The event was convened by Heads Together, a mental health initiative headed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The YMCA provides housing for 150 young people in west London who are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, substance misuse and domestic violence. 

While at the meeting Harry also met with three residents, Jade Messa-Goodenough, Julie Spencer and Rory Tomlinson. 

He told them: “One of the most comforting things to know is you’re not alone and you’re one of the more as opposed to one of the few.”