Kids are pranking their parents for the sake of YouTube fame, a controversial game is based on school shootings, and Pokemon Go launched a new event.
Here’s the latest in video games and tech, from kids pranking their parents in Fortnite to a new limited-time event in Pokemon Go.
Kids are ‘Pranking’ Their Parents By Spending Hundreds of Dollars in Fortnite
A new trend of viral videos has popped up on YouTube, related to the most popular game around: Fortnite. Young video creators are using their parents’ credit cards and PayPal accounts to purchase premium currency (V-Bucks) in Fortnite without permission, all for the sake of recording their parents’ reactions and becoming popular on the video-sharing platform.
Kotaku shared multiple examples. In one video, a boy spent $100 on V-Bucks using his father’s PayPal account, and recorded his dad’s reaction when he entered the room. In another video, a different player spent £500 on V-Bucks using his mother’s credit card. Some of these videos are staged, with parents being in on the joke as a way to help their kids earn views (like the $100 video). In other cases, the “pranks” may be real.
Parents, if you’ve ever spent money for your kiddo in Fortnite, or you’re considering making your first purchase, there are ways to make sure this sort of prank doesn’t happen to you. Lifehacker broke down the steps you should take so you don’t get scammed by your kids, or anyone who gets ahold of your kid’s account.
File This Under Appallng: There’s a Computer Game That Lets You Be a School Shooter
Here’s a big reason video games get a bad rap — there is a video game that allows you to be a school shooter. Video game developer Revived Games received heavy critcism for its upcoming PC game, Active Shooter. The game is set to launch June 6, and it can be previewed now on Steam, a popular online video game marketplace.
Active Shooter is described as a “simulation” game that lets players “be the good guy or the bad guy” — an “Elite S.W.A.T member or the actual shooter” — in the middle of a school shooting. If players choose the shooter, they’ll have a kill counter on the side of the screen that keeps track of how many civilians and cops they’ve killed.
According to BBC News, an anti-gun violence charity, Infer Trust, asked Steam’s owner, Valve, to pull the game down before it has a chance to go on sale.
The game’s publisher, Acid, responded to the controversy in a post on Steam, which said, in part, “First of all, this game does not promote any sort of violence, especially any soft [sic] of a mass shooting.”
Games like Active Shooter are a reminder for parents to pay attention to the games their kids are playing. They’re also negative for the video game industry, as parents continue to be concerned about the way violent video games may or may not affect kids.
NRA President Was an Advisor on a Violent Video Game
According to The New York Times, National Rifle Association president, Oliver North, blamed mass shootings on — among other things — a “culture of violence.” Polygon pointed out North is the same man who served as a spokesman and advisor for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, a violent M-rated video game released in 2012.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is a first-person-shooter (the viewpoint is through the character’s eyes, rather than over their shoulder) that allows players to complete a single-player storyline and compete with or against other players in online multiplayer matches. The game was incredibly popular; it made over $500 million in the first 24 hours it was on sale.
The next game in the Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, is expected to release this October.
A New Limited Time Event is Happening Now in Pokemon Go
If your family has plans to be outside this weekend, take a second to open up Pokemon Go. You may run into some creatures you haven’t seen before. From now until June 5, Rock-type Pokemon, such as Geodude, Lileep, and Nosepass, will appear more frequently than normal. New Field Research tasks have also been introduced, and Pokemon like Aerodactyl will temporarily appear in Gym Raid battles.
This special event will also allow Buddy Pokemon to earn candy four times faster than normal while players walk. This is a great time to use a Pokemon like Magikarp or Walimer as your Buddy, since you’ll earn the 400 Pokemon Candy needed to evolve each one much faster than before.
The event will also encourage players to visit nearby PokeStops and Gyms. Spinning the disc at each one will reward players with up to 10 times the usual amount of experience points. More experience points will be rewarded if it’s the first time you’ve visited that particular location.
Parents, limited-time events like these are a great way to encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors. By walking around or riding their bike, kids will cause more Pokemon to appear around them, and they’ll earn that sweet Pokemon Candy along the way.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
