Fortnite is apparently playing a part in quite a few modern divorces.
A UK divorce website claims that over 200 couples have cited video game addiction as a leading cause behind their decision to get a divorce. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fortnite (arguably the most popular game in the world at the moment) has been referenced in quite a few of those divorce proceedings. The website calculates that Fortnite and other such games account for roughly 5% of the number of official divorce requests filed in the UK this year.
Of course, that’s not taking into account the number of non-married couples who have split over Fortnite nor is it accounting for the number of married couples who have ended it only partially beacause of Epic’s battle royale title. We’re guessing this isn’t some anomaly limited to the UK either.
At the same time, it’s also important to remember that this is hardly the first time that an addictive video game has played its part in divorces. What separates games like Fortnite from titles like Everquest and World Of Warcraft, though, is both the fact that it’s instantly accessible (in terms of its gameplay and its availability across multiple devices) and that it’s possible to continue spending money on Fortnite in ways that exceed the costs of traditional subscription fees. In other words, Fortnite is capable of reaching a wider range of players and making them all spend a load of money that could have spent on things like food and rent.