Fortnite could soon offer a subscription service -
Geeko
Visiting Wednesday at the Maison des adolescents de Blois, Brigitte Macron mentioned the
Fortnite
video game
saying in particular "it's terrible ... When they are on games like that, how to make them stop?
".
A sentence that revived the debate on the harmfulness of video games for some.
Except that in its context, the sentence of the president of the Fondation des Hôpitaux de Paris-Hôpitaux de France was not on the subject.
"
Fortnite
is terrible… When they're on games like that, how do you get them to stop?"
A sentence or a match.
Indeed, it did not take long for this statement by Brigitte Macron during her visit to the Maison des adolescents de Blois on Wednesday to set social networks on fire.
Video games, still and always a scapegoat?
For some media such as
Télé 7 Jours
, with this release, the First Lady "commits itself against the harmful effects of video games".
Except that once the context is set, his "
Fortnite
is terrible" does not sound exactly the same.
A sentence spoken in a specific context
As told in
La Nouvelle République
, present on site, Brigitte Macron was at the Maison des adolescents to put the spotlight on the missions of the Fondation des Hôpitaux de Paris-Hôpitaux de France of which she is the president, especially those in favor of youth.
“Adolescence is already an age that is not easy… With this crisis, it is even more complicated.
She attended a forum theater demonstration on the theme of youth addiction to video games.
It was then that she reacted with her little sentence, before adding and welcoming the initiative: “It works very well what you do there, it's very interactive.
"
Why "Fortnite" and not another game?
Alarming and demonizing remarks?
It is less obvious, but the part was already in the machine and the debate revived.
Why specifically cite
Fortnite,
for example
?
Perhaps it was the game taken as an example by young people, the article does not specify.
It would not be surprising either,
Fortnite
is played by 350 million players worldwide (in May 2020) and has exceeded its status as a "phenomenon" of
free-to-play
and battle royale to settle permanently in the landscape of video games, but also of e-sports, social networks and pop culture.
Video games, good or bad for mental health?
In addition,
Fortnite
is accused of causing addiction in players, like a demand for collective action in Quebec arguing that the game "uses the same tactics as the creators of slot machines, ie rewards programs variables, to ensure the dependence of its users, the brain being manipulated to always desire more ”.
YouTuber Game Spectrum had also wondered in a video titled "How Fortnite conquered its players", and on the stage of VIS!
ONS de
20 Minutes
, on "how video games copy the mechanics of social networks and how they are structured to capture the attention of players".
"When they're on games like this, how do you get them to stop?"
There is therefore a reality behind Brigitte Macron's statement, but a reality to be put into perspective.
When the WHO listed video game addiction as a mental illness in its own right in 2008, the decision divided the scientific community.
A study from Oxford University has even proven that video games can be good for mental health, especially in times of crisis or even confinement.
“Contrary to widespread fears that too much time spent playing leads to addiction and affected mental health, we found a small correlation between gambling and well-being,” summarized the authors of the work.
Our results support the idea that online games offer a satisfactory alternative to face-to-face meetings at this exceptional time.
"
"Animal Crossing" and "Fortnite" to the rescue of containment
All things considered, our call for testimonies during the first confinement had also shown that the video game, and more specifically
Animal Crossing
, had allowed many people to endure the situation, not to be bored, or even to keep the link.
“I have several friends and colleagues who also have the game,” said Judith.
In a way, it was a way of continuing to exchange with people that we no longer saw!
The same goes for
Fortnite
on which teens meet their friends and girlfriends.
Moreover, more often than not, they are there more to discuss than to actually play.
And
Fortnite
can save lives as well.
The association L'Enfant bleu conducted an unprecedented experiment during confinement with an avatar who heard from 350 children or adolescents, mistreated or in pain.
The video game has confirmed to be an "encouraging lead", according to Laura Morin, the director of the association, to help children in distress.
Fortnite
, so it's not that bad.
Culture
"Apex Legends": What happened to battle royale games?
High Tech
Was the Fortnite video game designed to induce gamer addiction?
Brigitte Macron
Video games
Youth
Fortnite
Culture
Confinement