The gun violence prevention organization Project Unloaded is teaming up with streamers to share the facts about firearm safety.
By Fairriona Magee and Chip Brownlee
In the current season of Fortnite, players wield an arsenal designed to outgun their competition in a chaotic battle royale. From the Collateral Damage Assault Rifle to the Outlaw Shotgun, the game’s weapons are about one thing: survival of the fittest.
For the estimated 110 million active players who log into Fortnite monthly, these weapons are just part of the game and a way to climb the leaderboard. For many players, the game — and its guns — are a big part of their lives, not just to pass time but as a way to connect with friends.
That could help explain why, in a 2022 survey, nearly a third of young people, including almost half of young men, said that video games influenced their perspectives on guns. And that influence comes at a pivotal time: Research has shown that, on average, young men buy their first gun at around 19. But outside the virtual battlefield, real-world firearms are tied to significant dangers. That led a gun violence prevention organization to wonder: What if a strategy to promote gun safety for children and teens could be structured around gaming?
Read more: https://www.thetrace.org/2025/04/video-game-gun-safety-streamer-gen-z/