GAME OVER! Parents battle Fortnite craze amid back-to-school season

Thousands of kids spent their summer playing the wildly popular video game, Fortnite. The strategy / survival game has quickly gained popularity with millions of gamers across the world since its 2017 release.

During the summer break, many teens experienced the game for the first time. Now, some parents are now trying to figure out how to break them of their Fortnite gaming habits now that school is back in session.

FOX 5's Wisdom Martin spoke with Tony and Denoya Crawford from Clarksburg, Maryland who told him they have a strategy in place for monitoring and controlling the gaming habits of their two sons, 19-year-old Devon and 14-year-old Amir.

"If the grades are not the way they're supposed to be - not what Maryland requires but what we require - then we possibly might not let them play during the week," Tony said.

The parent told us that they have already discussed the game's violence with their sons. "As long as they understand that this is just a game," Tony said. "You can't let that game be a babysitter for your kids. You have to be involved in what they're doing," added Denoya.

Experts suggest parents must implement the following rules to quell Fortnite addictions.

- Kids should earn their playtime.

- Never threaten to take the game away without following through.

- Tell your kids: they do not own the device - you do!

Some doctors warn against discontinuing game play suddenly. They say it's easier to slowly wean them from the games.