Prince Harry, a member of the UK's royal family who holds the title of the Duke of Sussex, has said that children shouldn't be allowed to play Fortnite. He made the comment during a visit to the West London branch of YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). Prince Harry was speaking about the effects of social media and violent video games on children.
This quote was reported by Daily Express, which added that Prince Harry said social media is “more addictive than drugs and alcohol” and that parents don't know how to control their kids' addiction to Fortnite either.
He asked: “Where is the benefit of having it in your household?” He said parents should take an active role in encouraging their children to interact with the world outside the Internet.
He didn't mince any words when speaking 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 told Daily Express.
Fortnite addiction has been a big problem in the US as well. While he was speaking about Fortnite, it's far from the only game that children have been addicted to.
One could argue that games such as PUBG Mobile have a similar effect on children, and the game has been banned for kids under 13 in China. PUBG has been banned in some Indian primary schools, and students have complained that the game has had a negative impact on their studies.
If you're a fan of video games, check out Transition, Gadgets 360's gaming podcast. You can listen to it via Apple Podcasts or RSS, or just listen to this week's episode by hitting the play button below.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.