The student news website of Omaha Central High School

Fortnite addiction causes lack of academic motivation, lower grades

May 1, 2018

It is December 31, 2017. People around you are excited for the year to come. Everyone is talking about what might happen in 2018. Imagine all these crazy predictions people are coming up with. Now, imagine thinking the following: Five months from now, I will be on my couch, competing against up to 100 different video game players, competing for who is the best at not dying!
No one has expected it, but the popular video game, Fortnite, is taking the world by storm. The game had been developing since 2011, but it was first released in September 2017 by Epic Games, Inc. Since then, it has become the most viewed game in YouTube history, according to nme.com, and has even earned the likes of celebrities such as Drake and many professional athletes.
With every popular video game comes the inevitable (for some) transformation from a hobby to a lifestyle to an addiction. According to addictions.com, “[c]ompulsive video game addiction is a modern-day psychological disorder,” and that, “video game addiction can have just as many negative effects as any drug or alcohol addiction if left untreated.” Video game addiction can result in harmful effects such as weight gain, a decreased ability to socialize with others, aggressive thoughts and behaviors, and increased risk for ADD and ADHD due to the high amounts of interactivity in these video games.
It does not seem to be different for Fortnite players. In the UK, there was a case in which a ten-year-old boy named Leo was so addicted to Fortnite that he started to shun his family in favor of the game, according to online news website The Sun. Eventually, he, “had the game confiscated… his life has improved since it was taken away.” He tells new sources how he missed Fortnite the first couple of days since having it confiscated but has since moved on.
Fortnite has even plagued the school environment, including Central. According to psychguides.com, games such as Fortnite, “… can also be very time consuming, leaving addicted gamers with less time to focus on their education and career”. Excessive video game play can cause people to stop studying, doing their homework, and even paying attention in class. As students’ grades drop, this can negatively impact their future. Colleges may see these grades drop and not accept the students, which may keep them from achieving their dream careers.
Although Fortnite is simply a popular video game that everyone seems to want to play, it is important to remember that video game addiction can not only possibly destroy gamers’ lives, but their futures as well. As with everything else: moderation is key.

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