Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, recently appeared at a YMCA in West London to discuss the dangers of addictive video games and social media with mental health experts. During his speech, Prince Harry made the claim that social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol, and called for a ban on the popular battle royale game Fortnite.

"The game shouldn’t be allowed," Prince Harry said about Fortnite. "It’s created to addict. An addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. It’s so irresponsible." Prince Harry says parents should make their kids interact more with the outside world, as opposed to letting them spend so much time playing video games like Fortnite. However, Prince Harry also acknowledged that this may be easier said than done. "[Parents] don't know what to do about it. It's like waiting for the damage to be done."

This is far from the first time that someone has called for the ultra-popular Fortnite to be banned due to its perceived negative impact on people. Petitions have been made calling on Fortnite to be banned that have amassed thousands of signatures. Fortnite was banned in China, and others have suggested certain restrictions on the game, like limiting the amount of time people can play per day.

Fortnite addiction seems to be the main reason why people want the game banned. While the vast majority of Fortnite players are able to play the game without being addicted to it, there are those that are genuinely addicted to the game and perhaps video games in general. Sometimes the addiction is so bad that these people forget to eat and may even be unwilling to stop playing to use the bathroom, prompting parents to send their children to rehab for Fortnite addiction.

Despite concerns over Fortnite addiction, it is very unlikely that the game will ever actually be banned in the west. Epic Games would fight tooth and nail in court to keep its game available to the masses, and banning it would create a whirlwind of issues involving art censorship and freedom of speech. But while a Fortnite ban is unlikely, the conversation about the game and its impact on people, especially children, seems far from over.

Source: Variety

Image Source: E. J. Hersom - Wikimedia Commons