You Can Now Set Time Limits for Your Child in Fortnite
Anyone with kids knows how difficult it can be to snatch a device from their hands when screen time is up, but the new “Fortnite” feature will add at least one more tool to your arsenal: parents will finally be able to install time limits on how long their little gamers can play Fortnite . The new feature syncs across all game modes, connected devices, and even the Unreal Editor development tool for Fortnite.
In a blog post today, Epic said that when activated, time limits will tell a child when they have 30 minutes of play left, and all game modes are drawn from the same pool. Children will then be able to open a menu that shows exactly how much of their allotted time they have used and what time windows they are allowed to play in. If the parent has allowed it, the child can press a button to ask for more time, or the parent can add more time manually (presumably using a password, although I haven’t been able to test this feature myself).
How to Set Time Limits in Fortnite
To set time limits in Fortnite , either click on the Parental Controls section in the Fortnite main menu, or go to your child’s Epic account portal online and click on Parental Controls in the sidebar of the Settings menu.
From there, click the Time Limits menu, where you can set both the window for your child to play and a limit on how long they are allowed to play in that window. Click “Save” to complete the changes.
You’ll also be able to turn on Time Reports in the menu next to Time Limits , where you’ll be able to see a detailed dashboard of your child’s play time, including where you’ve added extra time for your child.
Time limits are not ideal
Time limits join Fortnite’s existing parental controls, which allow parents to restrict certain experiences based on age rating , but like those controls, they have one problem: Fortnite is a free-to-play game.
A child could potentially bypass these restrictions by creating multiple Epic accounts and simply switching to a secret one when the time limit approaches. Creating a new account means your child will have to earn all of their makeup from scratch again, so some may not want to be so crafty. As always, automatic tools are best used under close supervision.