The video game Fortnite is renowned for being kid-friendly. Because of this, proximity chat or death communications are not available. Epic Games hasn’t yet added voice chat because it’s impossible to regulate what people say in that setting. But, even with the best measures, things can occasionally spiral out of control. Back in Chapter 3, they came dangerously close to losing their reputation as kid-friendly due to a tweet.
Although it was not Epic Games’ fault, the disputed tweet did cause some internet commotion. To further explain, in honor of Chapter 3 Season 4’s Chrome theme, the creators gave users access to Chromed versions of their Twitter profile pictures. However, because this was an automated feature, some users got into trouble.
What ever happened to fortnite making our banner chrome with the #
— LOOTSTATION (@LOOTSTATIONYT) October 16, 2022
Ribbean_, a user who wished to have their profile photo removed from Chrome, had a questionable profile picture. Fortnite’s official account published a snapshot of his profile photo being Chromed without verifying it because the program was automated. Due to the nature of the image, the community quickly became aware of the occurrence, and as a result, the tweet was removed. The automated feature was likewise disabled by Epic Games shortly after the occurrence. Yet this is only one illustration.
Also, the Fortnite and Naruto Shippuden partnership caused some debate.
Epic Games had automated a reply mechanism for the second Fortnite x Naruto Shippuden event that took place in 2022 during Chapter 3. Players can request a response from the official Twitter account on their tweet announcing the collaboration by using the hashtag #TeamItachi, for instance. Most people used it to express their loyalty to particular characters, but one user went a little too far.
A user typed the following before adding the hashtag to a tweet rather than utilizing it to express support:
“I found a body in the fridge what do I do #TeamItachi.”
Due to the automated that was set up, this comment should have been a huge red flag and avoided, yet Fortnite’s official account responded to the tweet by saying:
“Even the strongest of opponents always has a weakness. You’re Team Itachi.”
The response from Epic Games was later removed, but not before it had received more than 2,200 likes and thousands of other comments. The fact that this automatic mechanism was set up to promote the collaboration, however, means that it wasn’t the developers’ fault that it was utilized for nefarious purposes. But there was also this one instance where Fortnite almost lost their reputation as a kid-friendly game as a result of tweeting out a word.
Although the phrase in question isn’t necessarily terrible, it is an internet slang expression of surprise or delight that, quite simply, is commonly used in the gaming community. However, it was deleted shortly after it was tweeted, but not before a few users had been able to take a screenshot. After all is said and done, does Fortnite become any less kid-friendly as a result?
Fortnite will honor it’s “T” for teen rating come Shell or High Water
Tips and tricks from a furry duo who are a little nutty 🤪
More fun to be had with Wendell & Walnut in the Item Shop now! pic.twitter.com/3PTSWKjS16
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) May 9, 2023
The T-rating has largely been stable for more than five years, despite a few small instances that have damaged it. Even though it has collaborated with adult figures like Chun-Li and Doomguy, Epic Games has always kept its content aimed at younger audiences. This is why some more established collaborations are perpetually put on hold.
Given how things began back in 2017, even though the majority of the player population may not be youngsters, the rating must be respected and maintained at all costs. While everything is now as kid-friendly as it can be, Epic Games might push the envelope in the future to give the game a more mature rating.
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