With increasing toxicity, should the Fortnite competitive scene be made 18+ only?

When it comes to sweaty gameplay and fierce competition, the gaming community has to look no further than at the Fortnite competitive scene. While the game has grown in leaps and bounds, there is a lot left wanting concerning maturity and discipline.

During the recent FNCS, a tweet from 97Default saw him and his entire team get disqualified. The decision was made by Epic Games mere hours before the final stages of the competition could begin.

While trash-talking in the esports scene is a standard affair, 97Default took it too far by abusing the opponents via a tag on a tweet. Although an apology was tendered, it was too little, too late.

pic.twitter.com/MeKGflLe6z

— LMNX 97Default (@97Default) May 29, 2021

In addition to getting banned, players who make headlines for all the wrong reasons give the Fortnite competitive scene a lousy reputation. Over time, these will affect how Fortnite is looked at not just as a game but as a proper outlet for esports and professional players.

While this is not the first time Fortnite competitive players have been banned under rule 8.1.2 (Players must be respectful of other players, Event Organizers, Event Administrators, spectators, and sponsors), the issue is far more complicated than just competitive stress and frustration.

Many Fortnite competitive players are below 18, and owing to which keeping calm and acting mature is not something that can be expected from most. Which leads to the question:

"Should Fortnite competitive be made 18+?"

I honestly don’t know if they should do that, they probably would lose a lot of players

— Ceramatype (@jWAplayerfan) May 31, 2021

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Should Fortnite competitive be 18+ only?

Well, honestly, having a more mature player base wouldn't solve the problem, as having a winnable prize pool on the line would affect all esports players irrespective of age.

While it may hold true that older Fortnite competitive players tend to be calmer and more composed when it comes to stress, there is no guarantee that it will change how they act during a stressful competition.

Here's a tweet that sums up the situation in a nutshell.

- future esports titles follow in Fortnite’s footsteps

— TSM Co1azo (@Co1azo) May 30, 2021

As mentioned in the tweet, it's a good thing that Epic is allowing players as young as 13 to participate for the chance to win big prize money.

However, on the flip side, factors such as immaturity and not knowing better are leading to a lot of potentially good players getting disqualified.

If they make it 16+ or 18+ they are taking away that dream (for some kids it still is) and takes away the magic. Also they would be catering to a much smaller portion of their audience. That would be everything against their business model.

— FaZe Ewok (@Ewok) May 30, 2021

While Epic has no plans to make Fortnite competitive 18 plus, if younger players receive some nurturing and guidance from veterans, perhaps then things may start to improve.

However, if this trend persists, a lot of upcoming multiplayer games may avoid dealing with any players under the age of 18, denying them the opportunity to partake in the professional gaming scene.

Watch this video to understand the problem in detail: