In the late hours of any given school night, most AHS students slave away in front of their schoolwork. However, a new group of AHS students has been hibernating in front of their video game consoles, obsessing over Aspen’s newest addiction: Fortnite.   

The game launched in July of 2017, and only two weeks after the release, there were over 10 million players. Freshman Noah Akin is one of the many hooked by the game. He and his friends claim to be fairly early to the trend and already admit to being easily distracted by the game.

“I downloaded the game two months ago and I already have more than 80 hours of playing time,” Akin confessed. “I usually get home, play Fortnite until like 10:30, and then start my homework.”

Fortnite is a captivating and compelling survival video game, often considered to be based on the popular book series, “The Hunger Games.” This game is free and can be played by up to four members of the same team. In Battle Royale mode, the most popular game style, a total of 100 different players all compete against each other in an attempt to be the last team standing. Throughout the game, competitors collect weapons, create defensive reinforcements, and hunt other players.

While Akin sacrifices his study time, other students, such as senior Charlie Guilander, revealed other preposterous results.

“No, procrastination isn’t really a problem for me. But I haven’t really spoken to my mom in like a month [because I’ve been playing so much],” Guilander said.

Defying all stereotypes, stigma, and expectations surrounding females in the gaming community- junior Emily Brenninger recently achieved #1 victory royale- a rare and reputable accomplishment.  

“[Winning] is a truly amazing and indescribable feeling,” Brenninger explained. “Yes [I think this craze will last a long time] because the game is free, everyone loves it, and it’s one-of-a-kind. When my friends and I play we get very competitive and the games become super intense” Brenninger said.

However, Guilander also revealed that you don’t have to win to enjoy the game.

“Hanging out and playing with the boys is the best part of the game. Girls like to FaceTime at night, and boys like to play Fortnite and gossip,” Guilander said. “It’s also a great way to meet new people. It really helps unify and bring everyone together for a shared passion.”