Fortnite Safety 101

Help get your child set up safely with a new platform or app, with this quick reference guide.

International ratings indicate a 12+ rating (PEGI = 12, ESRB = Teen)

The game is not classified in New Zealand by Te Mana Whakaatu as it is an online-only game.

Learn more about gaming age ratings here

What is it?

Fortnite is an online multiplayer game where players compete, create, and socialise in shared virtual spaces. It’s best known for its Battle Royale mode, where 100 players compete to be the last one standing but it has expanded into a much broader platform.

Players can:

Compete in fast-paced matches (Battle Royale)
Play creative or user-made experiences (similar to Roblox-style maps)
Team up with friends or play with others online
Chat using voice or text while playing
Customise characters (skins) and buy items using in-game currency (V-Bucks)

Fortnite is cross-platform, meaning players can connect across Xbox, PlayStation, PC, or mobile. Much of the experience is about playing and talking with others in real time, and it is constantly updated with new events, content, and limited-time modes

For parents, the key thing to understand is that Fortnite is not just a game; it’s a live, social environment where gameplay and communication happen at the same time.

Why it's popular

Tamariki and rangatahi enjoy Fortnite because there's huge variety in the gaming options, and there’s always something new. The platform allows users to:

Play with friends in real time
Participate in fast-paced, competitive gameplay
Explore constant updates and new content
Access creative modes and custom maps
Unlock skins, rewards, and progression

What to watch out for

Contact with strangers (voice and text)

Fortnite offers the ability to speak with or message other players during games, including strangers. This may increase the risk of online harms such as grooming or sextortion.

Talk to your young person about who they’re talking to and who they know in person versus online only. Talk about what your child can do if someone they don't know wants to start a conversation online.

Live voice chat

Voice chat happens in real-time during game play and can include team members, friends of friends, or sometimes wider groups depending on the settings. The chat may expose your child to inappropriate language or conversations of an adult nature.

Talk to your child about what's OK and not OK to say to others online, and encourage them to mute of leave a chat if the conversations feel uncomfortable. Focus on giving the confidence to disengage when something feels off.

Competitive pressure and frustration

Fortnite is highly competitive and losing repeatedly can feel frustrating. Some players may react strongly online, using bad language in chats or blaming other players for their loss.

Talk about how it feels to lose a game, and how they feel after an intense gaming session. Normalise taking breaks and checking in on whether the game play feels challenging and rewarding, or depleting and exhausting, to help your child recognise when it stops being fun.

Spending money (V-Bucks)

Players are encouraged to buy items such as skins and cosmetics, battle passes or limited time objects, and just like many other gaming platform, it is designed to encourage repeat purchases. meaning players may find themselves spending repeatedly in small amounts.

Create some shared expectations early and agree if and when money can be spent in the game. Talk about 'want versus need versus impulse' to help ensure spending is intentional and not automatic or accidental.

Time and immersion

Like other online games, Roblox is designed to keep players engaged. Matches are short, which can encourage the behaviour of 'I'll just have one more game' and these loops leading to extended play sessions.

Set some agreed expectations together about time spent online, when and where to have device-free time, and how to detach from the game even when it feels hard. Help your child identify natural stopping points in the game (for example, after a match) and help them check in on how they're feeling after they've finished playing. Be aware of the game loops and try to align your own reminders and 'times up' messages to fit in with the natural opportunities for the game loop to be broken.

5 minute safety settings

Sit together and work through settings to put some basic protections in place, and talk about why they're important.

These settings are designed to reduce contact with strangers, limit inappropriate content and protect privacy.

Fortnite parental controls are managed through your child’s Epic Games account and inside the game.

Start by setting up parental controls and a PIN to give you the most control over your child’s experience.

Open Fortnite
Select the player icon in the top right corner
Open the Menu (☰)
Select 'Parental Controls'
Choose 'Set Up Parental Controls'
Enter an email address
Create a 6-digit PIN

This PIN will be required to change any settings in the platform. Talk to your your child about parental controls, what you think you should look at and why. Controls work best when they are done together.

Open Fortnite
Select player icon in the top right
Open the Menu ☰
Select 'Parental Controls'
Enter your PIN
Scroll to 'Voice Chat' and 'Text Chat'

Set

Voice Chat → Friends Only or Off
Text Chat → Friends Only or Off

This controls who your child can communicate with. Friends only = only approved friends; Off = no communication

Open Fortnite
Select player icon in the top right
Open the Menu ☰
Select 'Parental Controls'
Enter your PIN
Scroll to 'Friends Requests / Adding Friends'
Turn on 'Require PIN to add Epic friends

This prevents new contacts being added without your visibility or approval

Open Fortnite
Select player icon in the top right
Open the Menu ☰
Select 'Parental Controls'
Enter your PIN
Scroll to 'Filter Mature Language'
Turn on 'Filter Mature Language'

This replaces inappropriate words in text chat

Open Fortnite
Select player icon in the top right
Open the Menu ☰
Select 'Parental Controls'
Enter your PIN
Scroll to 'Purchases / Payments'
Turn on 'Require PIN for purchases'

This helps manage purchases and prevents unauthorised spending.

What else can help?

Support your child to navigate Fortnite safely...

Understand how they play to better understand the potential risks, and the controls that might be most relevant. For example, do they play with small groups of known friends, or in larger teams with mixed players
Talk about voice-chat and help them understand that not everyone behaves respectfully. Encourage them to leave or mute a chat any time that they feel uncomfortable and let them know they can come and talk to you
Help them manage competition and the feelings of winning and losing. Fortnite is a competitive game and losing is part of it. Support them to step away of they feel frustrated and not to take losses personally
Talk about why it's important to keep gaming chats 'in the game'. Some players may suggest moving a chat to another platform but this is a red flag and can leave your child exposed to the risk of other online harms. Encourage them to stick to the game platform, and to let you know if someone asks them to take the chat somewhere else
Play together, or watch them while they play to see who they interact with, what they get from the gaming experience and to show them that you're interested and curious about their world

Learn More

Fortnite can be a social, competitive and fast-moving platform, but the experience varies widely depending on who your child is playing with, how chat and communication are set up and how they manage defeat. First steps for safe play means focusing on who your child is interacting with, and how they feel during and after play.

With the right settings and ongoing conversations, Fortnite can be a positive space to explore and play.

Find more information on staying safe on Fortnite via the links below: