CYBER CIVICS: A new course developed by Waldorf teachers offered to our middle school students at Waldorf Academy. Parents and educators can also read their website and keep up to date on trends and resources to help make sure they are being pro-active rather than reactive with their kids and technology. Here is a sample from their newsfeed http://www.cyberwise.org/fortnite
FORTNITE: If your kids aren’t already playing this hugely popular game, they likely either have friends who are playing it or wish they were themselves. This (mostly) free game was released by Epic Games last year, and already it’s been downloaded 40 million-plus times globally, and it continues to grow!
Bottom Line– If you’re uncomfortable with violence, you might think twice before giving the a-ok on this one! Although the violence in this game is not nearly as gory or problematic as it is on some of the first-person shooter games (i.e., Call of Duty), this game is still not recommended for children under 13.
Read on to get the 101 on this new craze from the Waldorf Cyber Civics course.
How do you access it? Fortnite is available as an app on iOS devices and will soon be available on Android devices. It’s also available on macOS and Windows, as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
How is it played? The game kicks off with 100 players in real-time—often strangers—who jump out of a plane on to a remote island where they fight (along with a bunch of zombies) until only one player is left standing. It’s a multi-player shooter game, each player is even armed with a pick-axe upon being dropped onto the island. To protect themselves, and to kill off others, players search the island for hidden weaponry (like crossbows, grenades and guns) and collect other resources to build themselves shelters.
Why do kids love this game? It’s social! Players often wear headsets and converse with other players. Because players can wear funny costumes and break into dance moves, kids think it’s funny! Plus they can team up with other players to play in duo or quad mode.
In addition to the violence in this game, there is also profane language (many players leave their audio on while playing). Also, young children could potentially be enticed to share personal and financial information with strangers, and unknowingly form relationships with online predators. The game allows for in-game and upgrade purchases too, it brings in over $100 million per month!
For More Info Read: Why Can’t People Stop Playing Fortnite?
