App safety check

Is Fortnite OK for my child?

The battle royale game most UK children play at some point. Cartoon violence, squad play with voice chat, and a shop selling V-Bucks cosmetics that carry real social currency in the playground.

Minimum age

13 (younger with parental consent)

Under-13s automatically get a restricted account with chat and purchases off until a parent consents.

Type

Gaming

Game rating: PEGI 12

Official safety page

Epic Games parental controls help

What to actually watch for

Open voice chat with strangers in some modes.
V-Bucks spending pressure, because skins are social status.
Match-based play makes "just stop now" genuinely disruptive; endings need managing.
Crossplay means phone, console and PC players mix.

The settings worth switching on

Set the Epic account controls (PIN, chat permissions, purchase approvals): they follow your child across every device.
Layer the console's own family controls on top for total play time.
Keep voice chat to friends-only, or off for younger players.
Turn on purchase approvals so V-Bucks need a parent.

Our honest take

Fine for most 12-plus children with both control layers set up, and workable younger at a parent's judgement because the restricted under-13 accounts are genuinely well designed: chat and purchases stay off until you say otherwise. The friction point is session endings, so agree "last match" rules up front. Full setup in our Fortnite guide.

Frequently asked questions

Fortnite is rated PEGI 12 for its cartoon-style violence and open interaction. Epic requires account holders to be 13, but younger children can play on a restricted "cabined" account with chat and purchases disabled until a parent provides consent and chooses what to enable.

For younger players, yes, or set it to friends-only. Squad voice chat with strangers is where most of the unpleasant behaviour happens. The setting lives in the Epic parental controls behind your PIN.

Skins are social currency: children get judged on defaults versus rare outfits. A monthly agreed amount with purchase approvals on beats an outright ban for most families, because it teaches budgeting inside a system designed to defeat it.

Go deeper

Fortnite parental controls setup guide Gaming chat safety guide Gaming safety hub

Other gaming apps parents ask about

Is Roblox OK?

Minimum age: Account tiers by age

Is Minecraft OK?

Minimum age: PEGI 7

Is Call of Duty OK?

Minimum age: PEGI 18

Last reviewed: August 2026. Minimum ages and settings were checked against the platform's own published policies, and platforms change them often, so the official page linked above always has the latest.