Citing concerns for the addictive nature of video games and social media, Prince Harry warns that the popular game Fortnite is 'irresponsible' and it's 'created to addict.'

While on a visit to a YMCA in the London borough of South Ealing on Wednesday, Prince Harry attacked the role of social media in youth mental health issues, saying 鈥渋t鈥檚 more addictive than drugs and alcohol.鈥�


 

The Prince was speaking to charity representatives at an event organised by , the mental health initiative spearheaded by Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 

Harry warned that there was 鈥榯oo much negativity surrounding mental health鈥� and that 鈥渋t must be so hard for young people to talk about it.鈥� 

His comments about Fortnite, a multi-player video game that currently has , brought equal parts disbelief and agreement from the online community. 鈥淲here is the benefit of having that game in your household?鈥� he asked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 created to addict鈥� It鈥檚 so irresponsible.鈥�

The Prince鈥檚 remarks have added to the constant debate amongst players, parents, doctors and governments about whether gaming is harmful to health. 

Last year, the WHO added 鈥榞aming disorder鈥� to its International Classification of Diseases (ICD), as 鈥渃haracterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation of escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.鈥�