Fortnite Gaming Interrupting Instruction
May 7, 2018
Fortnite, a new MMO/Battle Royale game, has taken the campus community by storm. While thoroughly enjoyed by a large number of students at Campolindo, staff is finding the game to be interfering with instruction.
With over 3.4 million players worldwide since its launch in July 2017, it’s no wonder this addictive game has captivated many students.
It has some teachers worried about its impact on student health. “Some of the kids that are addicted to Fornite need to spend some time in the wellness center,” said math teacher Kevin Macy.
The addictive nature of the game is no surprise to science teachers. “It’s a win,” explained Patrick Wildermuth. “There are certain parts of your brain that, when you win you get a boost of excitement and something you like when you are addicted to playing.” Wildermuth added that like the development of most habits, students don’t recognize that they are “addicted.”
In spite of the potentially negative consequences to academic performance, Senior Krish Visht appreciates the aspect of working as a team in the game.”I think that the aspect of doing it with the boys is something that is important. There is a team work and camaraderie so you can share the victory,” he said.
Visht added, “The teachers only get annoyed if you get caught. [It is not distracting] because when you are playing in class then you are playing on a small screen.”
Fortnite allows for 100 players from around the world to compete against one another as the area in which the player may stand begins to shrink. The game ends when only 1 player remains. “It’s really rewarding to win,” added freshman Steven Chen.
Teachers like Wildermuth think differently about the game. “The bottom line is that it is something that is not right and the kids are beginning to be distracted all of the time,” said Wildermuth.
While students like freshman Jake Harborson insist they are “very non violent,” the violence of Fortnite and other video games and their correlation to real-life violence is hotly debated by parents and scientists alike.
Harborson claims that he has “punched his wall and desk” due to his devastating loss in Fortnite, but can assure that he has not broken anything yet.
“I think most teachers are indifferent, just like any other video game. They don’t care as much. I think that once it starts having real school implications then teachers will start getting more involved,” said Visht.
