The issue of streamers violating community guidelines and standards set by platforms and then facing channel bans is no longer surprising. Similarly, this is the case with gamers. However, just recently, the online community was abuzz when a young gamer and streamer unexpectedly received a ban of up to 4 years – a record number, only second to a lifetime ban, for the reason of “not being old enough.”
The main character in our story is Zenon, a Brazilian streamer who frequently plays Fortnite on stream. Despite his young age, Zenon’s skills and qualities are evident, and his desire is nothing more than to hone his skills with the aim of becoming a professional player in the future. However, just recently, a ban of 1460 days, equivalent to 4 years, from Epic Games left the young boy extremely shocked and in tears.
Specifically, for competitive modes, Epic Games, as well as Fortnite itself, always sets the age limit for participation at 13+. And Zenon, although he has not participated in professional competitions, has taken part in the Arena mode, which can be considered competitive even without any prizes. Although he had parental permission, in accordance with Fortnite’s requirements, being under 13 years old still meant he had to face punishment. The 1460-day ban, equivalent to 4 years, is also a way for Epic Games to ensure that Zenon can only return when he is old enough to compete. In fact, the ban even appeared live on Zenon’s livestream, causing him to burst into tears at that moment.
The incident quickly sparked a lot of mixed opinions in the online community. Many people agreed with Fortnite’s stance, stating that rules are rules and should be applied fairly. However, some well-known figures, such as Ninja, argued that this punishment is too harsh, and considering that Arena matches have no prizes at all, a 4-year ban seems quite unfair.
