Q&A: Should I let my son play Fortnite?

My 10-year-old son wants to play Fortnite. He says all his friends are playing–and honestly, I think he’s right about that. But isn’t the whole point of the game to kill other players? It just seems so violent to me, and I’m not sure what to think about that. At the same time, I don’t want him to feel left out from his friends. What do you think? What does the research say about violence in video games?

Fortnite: Battle Royale is one of the most popular games on the market for teens and tweens. It is technically a shooter game, as it involves killing other players in an attempt to be the “last one standing.” However, the violence is more “cartoonish”—there’s no blood or gore. [For a full breakdown, see Common Sense Media’s review.] You can play the game alone, or in teams.