Understanding Fortnite’s PEGI 12 Rating
The Fortnite age rating is PEGI 12 (ESRB Teen in the US) for both Fortnite Battle Royale and Fortnite Save the World. This rating indicates that the game is suitable for children aged 12 and up, although each separate game under the Fortnite umbrella has its own age rating. The PEGI rating for Fortnite as a whole is simply ‘Parental Guidance’ with an exclamation point.
Fortnite Battle Royale – the main Fortnite attraction – has a PEGI rating of 12. This is because it features moderate violence; however, physical reactions are unrealistic as no blood or injuries are depicted. Specifically, the Video Standards Council rates it as PEGI 12 for ‘frequent scenes of mild violence’. This violence is cartoonish, with “eliminations” occurring through animations that remove the player from the game rather than actual “kills”. As a result, Fortnite is rated 12+ by PEGI due to its frequent scenes of mild violence. While violence is cartoonish, some characters and scenes might disturb younger players.
Similarly, Fortnite Save the World also carries a PEGI rating of 12. This rating is justified for similar reasons as Battle Royale, with the added element of attacking monsters, which introduces a bit more threat and peril to the game.
It’s essential to note that the Parental Guidance icon from PEGI alerts parents that while age-appropriate content may be available, the platform may also offer access to content that is not suitable for children. With this in mind, PEGI has changed the age rating for Fortnite, recognizing it as an ecosystem with diverse content rather than an individual game product. Consequently, the PEGI 12 age rating was replaced by the Parental Guidance label – an icon displaying an exclamation mark, always accompanied by the ‘parental guidance recommended’ text descriptor. As of now, individual games within Fortnite will begin to have their own PEGI ratings.
In combination with a robust set of parental controls and cabined accounts for younger players, PEGI aims to ensure that both parents and children can enjoy video games responsibly on Fortnite.
Lastly, to address whether Fortnite is appropriate for 12-year-olds: While rated PEGI 12, it is also rated T for Teen by the ESRB, indicating that it is generally suitable for ages 13 and older. This rating is based on content that may not be appropriate for younger children, including mild violence and the potential for online interactions with strangers.
What Parents Should Know About Fortnite for Kids
Fortnite Age Rating Explanation
Fortnite’s overall PEGI rating is ‘PEGI 12’ for ‘frequent scenes of mild violence’. The violence is cartoonish, with no blood involved; ‘eliminations’ occur through an animation that removes the player from the game instead of depicting actual ‘kills’.
According to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), Fortnite is rated “T” for teens, which means it is recommended for ages 13 and up. The game features violence and interactive elements, allowing users to interact with each other and make in-game purchases. However, the depicted violence is cartoon-like, contributing to a whimsical and lighthearted atmosphere despite maintaining a competitive edge.
Furthermore, the Australia Classification Board (ACB) rates Fortnite as ‘M’, indicating it is recommended for players aged 15 and up. This has led to concerns among parents about whether their kids should engage with the game.
It is important for parents to consider that, according to Common Sense Media—an Understood founding partner—the game is also recommended for kids aged 13 and up due to its action violence and open chat. Each child is different, so parents should use their judgment in determining if their child is prepared to play Fortnite.
Account Safety Features
If a player indicates they are under 13 or their country’s age of digital consent (whichever is higher), they will have a ‘Cabined Account’. While waiting for parental consent, they can still play Fortnite but must provide a parent or guardian’s email address to access certain features, such as voice chat or making purchases.
As a parent, you have several options for managing both voice and text chat:
- Everybody: Allows your child to chat with any player.
- Friends and Teammates: Allows your child to chat with players in their Epic friends list and platform friends list, as well as other players on their team who may not be friends.
- Friends Only: Allows your child to chat only with players in their Epic friends list and platform friends list.
- Off: Epic chat is disabled.
Parental Controls
To enhance safety for kids, you can enable parental controls. Start from the main menu by selecting the 3-lined menu in the top corner, then the gear icon to access settings. From there, select “PARENTAL CONTROLS” and enter your 6-digit PIN (which can be set up using the Epic Games Store guide). Make sure to turn “REQUIRE A PIN TO ADD EPIC FRIENDS” to “ON”.
Is Fortnite Safe for Pre-Teens?
Fortnite Safety for Pre-Teens
Our Parental Controls let you choose how your child plays and interacts with others across Epic’s games and experiences, including Fortnite. These tools enable informed decisions about what is right for your family and manage access to social features such as voice and text chat, purchasing permissions, and more.
For children under 10 years old, the maximum voice and text chat permission is set to ‘Friends Only.’ However, when your child turns 10, additional voice and text chat options become available. If your child is under 13, the maximum permission will be ‘Friends & Teammates.’
You can also filter out mature language such as profanity in Fortnite’s text chat. The mature language filter is always on for players under 13 in all text chats and always active for all players in Game Channels (island-specific channels where players can chat with others in the same experience).
Regarding purchasing: the Parental Controls PIN will be required to complete payments using Epic payment. Note that this setting does not impact payments made on gaming platforms such as PlayStation®, Steam, Xbox, and Nintendo SwitchTM.
Setting Up Parental Controls
To set up Parental Controls through Fortnite:
- Launch Fortnite.
- Select your Player Icon (the circle with your character’s image) in the upper right corner.
- Select the Menu Icon (three stacked lines) in the lower right column.
- Select Parental Controls in the right column.
- Select Set Up Parental Controls.
- Choose and confirm an email address that the parent controls.
- Set up your 6-digit Parental Controls PIN, which is required for any future changes.
You’re all set! You can now select your parental control preferences.
Furthermore, you can modify any Parental Controls setting by signing into the Epic Account Portal. In the top-right corner of the page, click on the avatar and select Account in the menu.
Parents or guardians can also set up time limits for their child’s account via the Parental Controls section in the Fortnite main menu or on the Epic Account Portal on the web.
Recommendations
Common Sense recommends Fortnite for teens 13 and up, primarily due to action violence. However, with the right controls and parental guidance, Fortnite can serve as a preteen-friendly alternative to more violent first-person shooters.
