Online games: Fortnite leaves China, gamers desperate

Fortnite is one of the most popular online games in the world, with more than 350 million users to its name - more than the American population.

AFP - LIONEL BONAVENTURE

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

Fortnite disconnects: the video game, which brings together millions of followers around the world, will withdraw from China to the chagrin of its fans, when the power tightens the screw on the digital sector.

Fortnite is the second big name in the tech world to announce its departure from China in the space of a month.

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“ 

 ” announced the US publisher of Fortnite, Epic Games, on Sunday, October 31. 

Fortnite is one of the most popular games in the world, with over 350 million users to its name - more than the US population.

It is a participatory game in which players interact online in hostile environments.

If they evolve as a group, each seeks to be the last to survive.

Fortnite, which is free to download, generates billions in revenue with the purchase by players of additional items for their characters, including outfits.

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Fortnite has a specific version in China where violent, obscene or politically sensitive content is strictly regulated.

It will therefore stop in two weeks.

As of Monday, the game no longer accepts new players in China, specifies the company, which counts among its shareholders the Chinese internet giant Tencent.

No reason has been given, but the decision comes amid tightening regulations in China.

Three hours a week

The Chinese authorities are particularly picky about competition and personal data issues.

In recent months, they have pinned down several heavyweights in the sector for practices hitherto widely tolerated.

That of

, which represent China a significant financial windfall but are criticized for their addictive side among the young, has not been spared.

In August, the authorities imposed a

for those under 18, while some could spend days glued to their screens.

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" 

All the tears of my body

 "

Stunned by the announcement of the upcoming end of Fortnite in their country, Chinese players are struggling to hide their emotion.

" 

 " writes a player on the social network Weibo.

 "

Others tell of the number of hours spent in the game to develop their character.

A petition is circulating on social networks for Epic Games to allow Chinese players to transfer their game data outside of China.

They contain " 

 " they write.

" 

Mental health

 "

Citing a " 

 ", the professional social network LinkedIn of Microsoft had also announced in October its upcoming withdrawal from China.

The computer giant has long been one of the few US internet companies to successfully impose a social network in China despite censorship.

And in 2014, Microsoft was the first foreign firm to reinvest the huge Chinese video game market with its Xbox One console.

In 2000, Beijing had suspended the sale of all consoles because of their alleged negative effects on the " 

 " of young users.

However, these remained readily available, but illegally.

Ariana Grande or Neymar in the game

Launched in 2017, Fortnite quickly became a global phenomenon, to the point where some games are now followed live by millions of viewers.

With this audience, the game is opening up more and more to collaborations with celebrities who appear occasionally in the form of avatars.

This summer, the American singer Ariana Grande had performed some of her songs for a weekend.

Previously, events with American rapper Travis Scott and Brazilian soccer star Neymar have already taken place.

Aya Nakamura, the most

French artist

internationally with her title "Djadja", should in turn soon appear in the game.

(with

AFP)

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