If you haven't looked at your kid's screen in a year, you might be surprised to find that Fortnite has undergone a massive identity shift. It’s no longer just 100 people jumping out of a bus to shoot each other until one person stands victorious.

Epic Games is essentially trying to turn Fortnite into the "grown-up" version of Roblox. It is now a hub where kids can access thousands of different games. Some are made by Epic (like the LEGO and Racing modes), but many are "User Generated Content" (UGC) created by random people or brands.

Because of this, a single age rating no longer covers the whole game. This is why you’re seeing different ratings pop up for different "islands" or modes within the app.

In late 2023, Epic implemented a new rating system in partnership with the ESRB and IARC. This was a huge win for parents because it allows you to use parental controls to "lock" any game mode above a certain rating.

Rating: E10+ Think of this as Minecraft with better graphics. It’s a survival-crafting game. Kids build villages, farm, and fight "cute" monsters like spiders and wolves. The violence is very mild—when a character "dies," they just go "poof" and drop their items. It’s arguably the most "productive" mode in the game because it requires resource management and planning.

Rating: E Developed by the team behind Rocket League, this is a high-octane arcade racer. It’s essentially Mario Kart but with rocket-powered cars. There is zero violence, no guns, and nothing offensive here unless your kid gets "tilted" (gamer speak for frustrated) by losing a race.

Rating: Teen This is a rhythm game similar to Guitar Hero or Rock Band. The Teen rating comes from the song lyrics. While Epic censors the "worst" words, the themes in some of the pop and hip-hop tracks might be a bit much for the elementary school crowd.

Rating: Teen The classic mode. 100 players, guns, grenades, and a shrinking "storm." While there is no blood or gore, the primary objective is to eliminate other players using firearms. The ESRB gives it a Teen rating for "Violence," and that’s a fair assessment.

Check out our guide on whether Battle Royale is too violent for 7-year-olds

To a kid, Fortnite isn't just a game; it’s a "third place." It’s where they go after school to hang out because they can’t just bike to the mall like we did in the 90s.

This is also the epicenter of "Brain Rot" culture (their words, not mine). If your kid is talking about "Skibidi," "Rizz," or saying everything is "Only in Ohio," they likely picked it up from the Fortnite lobby or YouTube creators like MrBeast who are heavily integrated into the game's ecosystem.

The appeal is largely social. If "everyone" at school is playing, not being on Fortnite feels like being left off the birthday party invite list.

When parents ask me if Fortnite is safe, they are usually worried about the guns. Honestly? The guns are the least of your worries. Here are the three things that actually matter:

This is the "Wild West." Even in an E-rated mode like Rocket Racing, if voice chat is "On," your kid can hear anything from a 25-year-old swearing to a 12-year-old being a bully. The Fix: Go into settings and set "Voice Chat" to "Friends Only" or "Nobody."

Fortnite is free-to-play, which means it makes its billions by selling "skins" (outfits) and "emotes" (dances). These cost V-Bucks, which cost real money. There is a massive amount of social pressure for kids to not be a "Default" (someone with the basic, free skin). Learn more about how V-Bucks work and how to set a spending limit

Because anyone can make a map, there are thousands of "Skibidi Toilet" themed maps or "Clicker" games that are designed purely to keep kids addicted to the dopamine hit of numbers going up. These aren't "dangerous," but they are essentially digital junk food.

Every kid is different, but here is the general consensus we see in the Screenwise community:

Ask our chatbot for a personalized Fortnite plan based on your kid's maturity level

Instead of just saying "no" or "get off that game," try to engage with the why.

Fortnite is no longer a monolithic "shooting game." It is a massive, complex social platform.

If you’re an intentional parent, you don’t have to ban it, but you do have to configure it. By leveraging the new IARC ratings and locking down voice chat, you can turn Fortnite from a source of stress into a relatively safe digital playground.

Is it "brain rot"? Sometimes. But so were the cartoons we watched on Saturday mornings. The key is balance and making sure they’re also playing things like The Wild Robot or getting outside for some non-digital "Battle Royale" (also known as tag).

Check out our full guide on gaming alternatives if Fortnite is becoming a problem