Ever since Fortnite exploded in popularity, there have been numerous calls to ban the game. Petitions to ban Fortnite have been drawn up and signed by thousands of individuals, and some politicians like Prince Harry have also called for the popular battle royale game to be banned, often citing the cases where people become addicted to it as reason to do so. While most of the world can still play Fortnite as much as they want, some countries have started taking action against the game, with it already banned in China, and more recently, banned in Iraq.

Iraq’s parliament voted to ban both Fortnite and PUBG, as well as microtransaction purchases that can be made in those games. Iraq’s parliament has attempted to justify its decision to ban Fortnite and PUBG by explaining the ban is “due to the negative effects caused by some electronic games on the health, culture, and security of Iraqi society, including societal and moral threats to children and youth.”

Some Iraqis have already started speaking out against the country’s Fortnite and PUBG ban on social media. Iraq’s parliament has been accused of focusing on the wrong issues and for being generally ineffective, passing only a federal budget this past January when it was formed.

Moving forward, it’s quite possible that other countries will ban Fortnite and PUBG. PUBG in particular has faced scrutiny, as the game has already been banned in parts of India and other countries in that area, with government bodies often citing the same reasons offered by Iraq’s parliament.

While some may feel strongly that banning a video game is not the right course of action, Fortnite addiction is a real issue. The vast majority of Fortnite players won’t experience this problem, but those that do sometimes have it bad enough that they need to go to rehab to get their lives back together.

It seems as though Iraq’s parliament is sticking with its decision to ban Fortnite and PUBG, and it’s possible it will inspire other countries in the region to follow suit. However, it seems highly unlikely that these bans will extend to western countries.

Fortnite is out now in early access for Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

Source: Reuters