Nine-Year-Old Fortnite Player Banned For Four Years

Zenon, a very good Fortnite player from Brazil who also happens to be just nine years old, has received a four-year competitive ban from Epic after the company found out he was playing in paid tournaments while under the game’s minimum age limit.

Only this week Zenon had entered, and placed, in a round of FNCS Solos open qualifiers, a global competition with prize money reaching into the millions.

But as Fortnite Intel report, also from earlier this week there’s footage of Zenon receiving his ban while playing alongside his Dad, who comforts his crying and clearly distraught son live on the stream.

https://twitter.com/embed/status/1257525014997299200

I’m sure he’s sad, but like…Fortnite competitions have an age limit of 13? And this kid is nowhere near 13? So I’m not really sure what they were expecting to happen.

And I’m not really sure why a bunch of prominent Fortnite and esports folks, like FaZe owner Banks in that tweet, are calling for Epic to “let the kid play”? You gotta be 13 to play, and he’s nine!

The four-year ban might sound extreme, but it’s tied to his age; in 1459 days he’ll be 13 and actually eligible to enter competitions, provided Fortnite is still around by then.

The ban only covers competitive play; he’s still allowed to play in Fortnite’s casual modes.