There’s a new sheriff in town, and it is literally taking the world by storm. Kids are no longer interacting on the playgrounds, and they would rather converse online on their headsets. It’s almost embarrassing, but yet I fear this trend and obsession will only continue.

I won’t tell you how much money I’ve spent on Fortnite. I’m constantly buying skins, pickaxes, and stupid little dances for Jensen’s avatar to perform. I’m not even allowed to play, and I’ve lost track of the precious time my son has logged. He and his friends are somewhat possessed.

JENSEN. TURN THAT OFF. RIGHT NOW.

Fortnite was not a major success from the beginning. It had a fairly slow start and didn’t hit rock star status until recently. But now we’re at a point where Epic Games has pledged $100 million in prize money to competitive online tournaments. Everyone is playing it. I mean everyone.

It’s almost impossible to have not heard of this game. The media is gobbling it up with headlines about parents “losing their children” to Fortnite. It’s causing major issues within professional sports teams, and it’s by far the hottest thing in the galaxy. Almost all of the kids in the Little Baseball World Series gave Fortnite a thumbs up.
LET’S GO, PAL. TIME FOR SCHOOL. TURN THAT OFF.

Fortnite is totally free. It is, and normally you’d expect a game to have some kind of paywall, somewhere you’ll eventually feel the need to empty your pockets to get a better experience. But that’s not the case here.

Nothing in the core gameplay is hidden. You are just as good using the introductory ninja. The paid stuff is all about the cosmetics. But try explaining that to a nine-year-old kid. If you want to look like the Easter Bunny or a leprechaun, there’s going to be money involved. You need to some Vbucks, and that is where these guys are cashing in.

Epic is still making an obscene amount of money from Fortnite because for whatever reason everyone wants those dumb skins. Whether it’s buying the Battle Pass for the season or individual items, Epic is printing money. But, you can play for free, and still have a great time. Your character just won’t look as cool.

Another reason why it’s so popular with the younger crowd is that Fortnite combines two legendary games. You create extensive battlefields as in Minecraft and have an opportunity to snipe someone like in Call of Duty. The best players can build a ridiculous structure in seconds, then still circle behind an enemy and deliver a well-timed blue pump shot to the head.

JENSEN. NOW. YOUR TIMER JUST WENT.

When you first start playing, or if you’re struggling to get your building skills nailed, Fortnite is frustrating. You’ll see an opponent throw up a bunch of ramps, get above you, and obliterate you in seconds. But you’ll go back to the lobby, and you’ll try again. And again. And again. That’s because it’s a lot of fun, and it’s very entertaining. You can play in groups of ten and take on the entire world.

Check out the highlight reels from some of the big-time players on YouTube. That’s what Jensen does when he’s not playing. He used to like Lebron James, but now it’s some middle-aged Fortnite player is his new favorite professional athlete. Say what?

The variety of weapons, skins, locations, the building mechanics, and the way the map in Fortnite evolves, all combine to make a platform that’s never the same on different days. Season four just started by dropping a meteor into the middle of the map and Epic Games is doing an incredible job at keeping the community engaged with fresh content. It is highly addictive too. Cheers.