Fortnite closing down in China

(Pocket-lint) - A translated station connected Fortnite's website announces that the trial "has travel to an end" and Epic Games volition beryllium shutting down Chinese Fortnite servers connected Monday November 15th 2021. From this date, gamers volition nary longer beryllium capable to motion up oregon download Fortnite and existing users volition beryllium incapable to log in.

"Thank you for everyone who boarded the autobus and participated successful the 'Fortnite' test!" the station reads.

Epic hasn't commented connected wherefore it volition beryllium shutting down the Chinese mentation of the crippled but the determination comes 4 months aft the Chinese authorities cracked-down connected the magnitude of clip children are allowed to play for. Since August, kids nether the property of 18 tin lone play video games 3 hours per week.

This is the latest successful a question of restrictions that China has placed connected children's gaming. In 2019, the authorities banned kids from gaming betwixt the hours of 10pm and 8am. Tencent, who owns 40 per cent of Epic Games, adjacent made a facial designation system to drawback kids gaming aft curfew.

The crippled made disposable to the Chinese assemblage differs heavy from the Fortnite we cognize successful the West. There are thought to be strict rules connected V-Bucks, a 90-minute timer that reminds kids to spell survey and caps XP. There's adjacent cosmetic changes arsenic it's amerciable to picture skulls successful China, truthful outfits specified arsenic the Skull Trooper don't exist.

Writing by Luke Baker. Originally published connected 2 November 2021.