Should They Play?The parents' guide to apps and games

Should I let my child play Fortnite?

13+

Yes, if voice and text chat are switched off

From 13, if you switch off voice chat, text chat and friend requests, protected by your PIN.

No, if chat is on

Regulators are questioning how well Fortnite protects children from strangers, and that isn't resolved.

Fortnite is cartoonish and fast, and Epic checks every player-made game (called an island) before it's published. The risk is who your child can talk to. In October 2026 Australia's online safety regulator found significant gaps in how Fortnite keeps children safe: it relies on players stating their own age, and anyone who says they're 18 can reach riskier features, such as chat with all ages. That concern is still open, so our answer to playing with chat is no. With voice chat, text chat and friend requests locked off, strangers can only send a fixed list of ready-made phrases, and our rules allow it from 13 with the steps below in place. Fortnite also pushes spending hard: a Dutch court upheld a fine in January 2026 for pressuring children to buy.

Fortnite (chat off) passes all 7 safety checks. Fortnite (chat on) fails 1 of our 7 safety checks. See how we decided, and the official age ratings

Last checked . Fortnite is made by Epic Games and runs on iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch.

What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is an online game where up to 100 players drop onto an island and battle to be the last one standing. It also hosts thousands of smaller games, called islands, made by other players and checked by Epic.

Our advice by age

Under 13
NoESRB, the App Store and Common Sense Media all rate Fortnite 13+, and we never go below the highest official rating.
13 to 17
Only with conditionsOnly with voice chat, text chat and friend requests locked off, and purchases behind your PIN. Set up every step below. Playing with chat on is a no until the child-safety concerns are resolved.

What to watch out for

  • Contact from strangersRisk is high by default, low with controls on

    Players chat by voice and text with people they don't know. Fortnite relies on players stating their own age, so anyone can claim to be a child or an adult. With chat set to Nobody and friend requests behind your PIN, strangers can only send a fixed list of in-game phrases. Console party chat is separate, so lock it in your console's settings too.

  • SpendingRisk is high by default, low with controls on

    The Item Shop changes daily and uses countdown timers. The Dutch regulator fined Epic for pressuring children to buy, and a court upheld the fine in 2026. Put purchases behind your PIN on every device your child plays on.

  • ViolenceRisk is low by default, low with controls on

    Battles with guns and other weapons are the focus, but it's cartoonish, with no blood. Parents can block islands above a chosen age rating.

  • Time spentRisk is medium by default, low with controls on

    Matches are short, which makes 'one more game' easy. Lawsuits filed in 2026 claim Epic designed Fortnite to keep children playing. These are claims, not findings. Epic's time limits help.

What's good about it

  • Fast, cartoonish and easy to play with real-life friends
  • Every player-made island is checked by Epic before it's published
  • Strong parental controls behind a PIN, including chat, friends, purchases and time limits
  • Children can build their own games with Fortnite Creative

How to set it up safely

Required steps are the conditions of our verdict. If you can't do them, our answer is no. Takes about ten minutes. Do it with your child so they know what's switched on and why.

  1. Set your child's real date of birthRequired

    Under-13 accounts start with voice chat and real-money purchases switched off until you agree. A wrong birthday removes those protections.

  2. Set a parental controls PINRequired

    Only someone with the PIN can change the settings below.

  3. Lock chat to stop strangersRequired

    Set voice chat and text chat to Nobody, and require your PIN for friend requests. Turn off party chat in your console's own settings too.

  4. Put purchases behind your PINRequired

    Require your PIN for Epic purchases, and turn on purchase approval in your console, Apple or Google settings.

  5. Look at their friends list togetherRequired

    Ask who each person is. Remove anyone your child doesn't know offline.

  6. Block islands above their ageRecommended

    Choose the highest rating your child can play in Epic's parental controls.

  7. Set a daily time limitRecommended

    Epic's time limits work across every device your child signs in on.

Recent news

  1. Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Steam face Australian scrutiny over child safetyMLex

    Australia's eSafety regulator found gaps in age checks and child protection at Fortnite and says it can take enforcement action.

  2. €100 million Fortnite lawsuit claims Epic put pressure on minors to spend real moneyGamesRadar+

    A Dutch consumer foundation is claiming refunds and damages for players under 21, over spending pressure, addictive design and children's data.

  3. Australia asks Roblox, Minecraft to detail child safety measuresDaily Maverick (Reuters)

    Compulsory notices to Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft and Steam asked how they protect children from grooming.

  4. Rotterdam court upholds €1.1 million fine for Fortnite developer Epic GamesNL Times

    The court agreed with the Dutch regulator that Fortnite's shop unfairly pressured children to buy, including with countdown timers.

Common questions

What age is Fortnite suitable for?

From 13, and only with voice chat, text chat and friend requests locked off behind your PIN. ESRB, the App Store and Common Sense Media all rate it 13+. Playing with chat on is a no at any age until the child-safety concerns raised by regulators are resolved.

Is Fortnite safe for a 7-year-old?

No. ESRB, the App Store and Common Sense Media rate it 13+, and we never go below the highest official rating.

Can strangers talk to my child in Fortnite?

Yes, unless you stop it. Set voice and text chat to Nobody and require your PIN for friend requests in Epic's parental controls. Then other players can only send a fixed list of in-game phrases. Turn off party chat in your console's settings too.

How do I stop my child spending money in Fortnite?

Require your parental PIN for purchases in Epic's parental controls, and turn on purchase approval on every console, phone or tablet your child plays on, because those stores handle their own payments.

Why is playing with chat a no when it's rated 13+?

Age ratings judge the game's content, not what happens when children talk to strangers. Australia's online safety regulator found significant gaps in Fortnite's child protections in October 2026, and that concern is still open. With chat locked off, that risk goes away, so that way of playing gets its own answer.

All my child's friends play it. What should I do?

That's hard when friends are playing it. From 13, your child can still play with chat switched off. Explain why chat is the problem: strangers can talk to children through it, and regulators say Fortnite hasn't done enough to stop that. If they're under 13, explain that it's rated for 13 and over, and why. If your child already plays, set chat to Nobody, put friend requests and purchases behind your PIN and keep talking about who they play with.

What would change your verdict?

The open child-safety concerns ending well. Then playing with chat would be judged on its own, but because chat with strangers is a high risk on the default settings, the best possible answer would still be 'only with conditions'.