My Kid Is Obsessed with ‘Fortnite,’ but What the Heck Is the ‘Fortnite’ World Cup?

Sure, you're all about healthy screen time limits, but out of the blue, your kid is begging you to relinquish limitations for a short period of time: the length of the Fortnite World Cup.

Now, you're confused: You're up to speed on Fortnite, the multi-player game that's all about survival that has your kids entranced, but what the heck is the World Cup? We did the research so you don't have to. (You're welcome.)

OK, so what is it? The Fortnite World Cup is basically a chance for solo players and duo teams to compete against each other in a new “Arena” mode, which dropped as part of the Fortnite platform in version 8.20. But it's set to be one very epic battle royale with a prize pot valued at $30 million for the grand prize winner. (One of the biggest cash rewards ever dispensed in the e-sports world, especially for a first-time tournament.)

Wait, my kids can actually compete? According to the Fortnite website, the tournament is open to any player in good standing and with an account level of 15. 

When does the World Cup begin? It kicks off on April 13 and invites gamers to compete in either solo or duo team play with a chance to win $1 million in the finals every Sunday for ten weeks. (Yep, the total prize pool is more than $30 million since there are cash rewards dispensed week over week.) The solo teams compete first followed by the duo teams. This cycle alternates every week for those two and a half months.

Then, things get interesting. The winners of those week over week mini competitions will score a ticket to the Fortnite World Cup (also known as the Victory Royale) hosted in New York City in July. This is when that $30 million prize pot comes into play.

And my kids can watch? TBD on that one, but it's very likely the tournament will stream on Twitch so that anyone interested (i.e., your children) can watch.

May the best competitive gamer sibling win.