According to Strip Fortnite, there seems to be a new trend on YouTube revolving around Fortnite Battle Royale. Kids are reportedly stealing their parents’ credit cards and going on a shopping spree in the Fortnite shop. How true is that?
Kids are imitating adults: Apparently inspired by YouTubers like Logan Paul with their “pranks”, there is a new trend on YouTube created by very young YouTubers. Most of the kids are around 13 years old. These videos follow the same pattern:
- A child looks into the camera and says they are going to steal a family member’s credit card to shop heavily in the Fortnite store.
- Then the child does just that and treats themselves to a luxurious shopping spree costing anywhere from $100 to $500.
- Now, the person whose credit card was stolen rushes angrily into the child’s room and confronts the child about the situation. However, the YouTuber remains calm and somehow wriggles out of it: “Like and subscribe, please.”.
Viral in the Kids’ Room
Real Trend: As the US site Kotaku reports, this has become a trend on YouTube where one boy copies the next. The kids know the rules for creating a viral video on YouTube. They are surprisingly savvy and approach it professionally:
- with an eye-catching thumbnail
- and a catchy title where they refer to themselves in the 3rd person, “Child spends $100 on V-Bucks with dad’s credit card (Fortnite)”
- Videos are deliberately extended beyond the 10-minute mark – just like the big ones.
You can spend some money in the shop: The videos play with the store and the popularity of Fortnite. Epic Games regularly introduces new skins that the young audience of the game would love to buy, but they can’t afford. Because with their own income, it’s still a ways off at 13 – unless you are a YouTube star.
Is it real? Probably not. It seems difficult to contact these young YouTube geniuses. However, the site Kotaku managed to catch a father-son duo. They admitted it was a pre-arranged scheme. The son mimics his YouTube role models. The father plays along and is pleased that his son is so creative. But perhaps some videos are indeed real. One father exclaims in dismay: “I can’t even afford health insurance and you’re spending money on stuff.” Ouch.
Works just like Strip Fortnite: The trend generated by the young YouTubers works just like the trend among older YouTube stars with “Strip Fortnite”: It’s a mix of shock effect and interest. Like a car crash – some have to look.
The thumbnail is from the video by DavidsTV, which we have also embedded.
