Is Fortnite Becoming a Relationship Wrecker?

By Mark Keenan Updated on September 7, 2023

Table Of Contents

    What is Fortnite?

    Fortnite is a survival game where 100 players fight against each other online in player versus player combat to be the last one standing.

    Is Fortnite ruining marriages?

    With over 250 million players taking part worldwide it seems Fortnite is becoming more addictive than heroin, according to some studies.

    But it’s not only teenagers that are being affected by its drug-like qualities, It’s also affecting relationships and marriages according to research by the online divorce website Divorce-Online.

    The company has done some data mining after seeing an increase in inquiries where Fortnite has been mentioned as part of the reason someone wanted to apply for a divorce online.

    It has received 200 divorce petitions since January 1st, 2018 where addiction to Fortnite and other online games has been cited as one of the reasons for divorce.

    A spokesperson for the company said,” addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and social media has often been cited as reasons for relationship breakdowns but the dawn of the digital revolution has introduced new addictions.”

    “These now include online pornography and online gaming, so it is no surprise to us that more and more people are having relationship problems because of our digital addictions. ”

    “These numbers equate to roughly 5% of the 4,665 petitions we have handled since the beginning of the year and as one of the largest filers of divorce petitions in the UK, is a pretty good indicator.”

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    Mark Keenan
    Written by:

    Mark Keenan

    Founder & CEO

    Mark Keenan is the Founder & CEO of Divorce-Online.co.uk and Director of Business Development at OLS Solicitors, a UK-regulated law firm specialising in family law. With over 20 years’ experience in divorce and financial settlements, Mark has helped hundreds of thousands of people navigate divorce, consent orders, clean break agreements, prenuptial agreements, and separation agreements through accessible, fixed-fee legal services. He founded Divorce-Online, the UK’s original online divorce service, to make the divorce process clearer, faster, and more affordable. Through its close working relationship with OLS Solicitors, Divorce-Online connects clients with SRA-regulated solicitors for legally binding work, including court-approved financial orders. Mark is a recognised commentator on UK divorce law. He regularly provides expert insight to the media on topics including divorce reform, financial settlements, and the impact of family law on separating couples.