Fortnite is an exciting game, but players should be careful not to neglect their real-life relationships.
Epic Games
Passionate Fortnite fans love the hit video game so much their personal relationships could be suffering as a result.
The battle royale game is one of the online games named in over 200 divorce petitions in the UK, according to a report from Divorce Online, a UK site that offers information and services for those going through a divorce.
Divorce Online found addictions to online activities like games, porn and social media came up as one reason people in the UK were filing for divorce in 2018.
“These numbers equate to roughly 5 percent of the 4,665 petitions we have handled since the beginning of the year and as one of the largest filers of divorce petitions in the UK is a pretty good indicator,” Divorce Online wrote in its report.
The fact that the report doesn’t include players in the US and other countries means the number of those suffering from Fortnite-related relationship trouble could be even larger.
Epic Games, the company that created Fortnite, did not respond to a request for comment.
Fortnite has even influenced another potential home wrecker — porn. Pornhub, a site that averages 90 million users per day, released site search statistics for user behavior, which included an increase of Fortnite in its user searches.
“Spikes in search volume seem to coincide with major (Fortnite) game updates and news cycles such as the 1.36 patch in January and when 60 FPS was enabled in February,” according to a report from Pornhub in March.
It isn’t too hard to imagine Fortnite causing strife in romantic relationships. In June, the World Health Organization listed gaming addiction in general as a potentially harmful technology-related behavior.
In addition to possible relationship troubles, gaming addiction can cause insufficient physical activity, unhealthy diet, problems with eyesight or hearing, musculoskeletal problems, sleep deprivation, aggressive behavior and depression, according to WHO.
Fortnite can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PCs and mobile devices. But if you want to keep your spouse happy, maybe avoid the game while in your marriage counselor’s waiting room.
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