While attending a recent event at a YMCA in west London, Prince Harry said that the popular game Fortnite should be banned because it is addictive“That game shouldn’t be allowed. Where is the benefit of having it in your household? It’s created to addict, an addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. It’s so irresponsible. It’s like waiting for the damage to be done and kids turning up on your doorsteps and families being broken down,” Prince Harry said.“Parents have got their hands up – they don’t know what to do about it,” he added.
He also said that social media was “more addictive than alcohol and drugs,” but did not explicitly call for a ban on social media. Sadly, his ridiculous suggestion was taken seriously by the international media, who agreed that video games can be addictive. While this is true, anything on earth that people enjoy can potentially be addictive.
Fortnite is currently one of the most popular video games in the world and has generated a whopping $2.4 billion in revenue for Epic Games in the past year.
Fortnite’s creator Tim Sweeney has been extremely charitable with his earnings from the successful game. As The Mind Unleashed reported earlier this year, since 2008, Sweeney has spent millions on conservation projects in his home state of North Carolina to protect and preserve its forest land. He has purchased nearly 40,000 acres over the last decade, making him one of the largest private landowners in the state. Sweeney has also donated money to several conservation parcel projects, including a 1,500 acre expansion to Mount Mitchell State Park.
In November 2016, the video game creator donated $15 million for a conservation easement to protect 7,000 acres of The Box Creek Wilderness. The forest, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, had been targeted by a company that wanted to carve up the land and run power lines through it.Video games are quickly becoming a very profitable industry in the world economy. There is actually an entire job market for people who are experts in the field.
However, there appears to be a double standard when it comes to societal approval of video games and things like sports. If a child has an obsession with a sport, parents don’t label their child as a “football addict,” especially if they show talent.In today’s economy, there are just as many well-paying jobs in the gaming industry as there are in traditional sports. Therefore, a child “playing games” is not necessarily wasting their time—they could be building skills for future a career.
It is true that people need to have a balance between work and play in their lives, and it is important for children to play outdoors, soaking up the sunlight and getting exercise. However, as long as this balance is kept and the child’s developmental level is considered, there is likely nothing unhealthy about a child dedicating a significant portion of their free time to gaming.