Parents are getting ‘Fortnite’ coaches for their kids

The same way that some kids get music or tennis lessons, the Wall Street Journal has found several parents who pay private “Fortnite: Battle Royale” coaches to help their child excel at the popular video game.

“There’s pressure not to just play it but to be really good at it,” one mother from Winchester, England told the Journal. “You can imagine what that was like for him at school.”

The Journal spoke with several parents who have paid for private “Fortnite” lessons for their children. Some of those parents are hoping that their kids will turn their hobbies into lucrative e-sports careers, a college scholarship — or, at least, a slice of “Fortnite” developer Epic Games’ $100 million competitive prize pool .

Parents typically find Fortnite coaches for their children through social media or contracting sites. There are also dedicated coaching marketplaces like Gamer Sensei, which charges between $15 and $35 an hour for “Fortnite” lessons.

This new trend comes as a surprise to even the coaches, according to the report, because until recently, the only people investing in video game coaching were adult enthusiasts, or young people aspiring to go pro.

“My dad would have never paid for me to take video game lessons,” Logan Werner, an 18-year-old Fortnite coach and professional gamer in Utah, told the WSJ.

But the parents shelling out for these lessons say that the practice is no different than investing in private tutors to help their children succeed in other activities, like basketball or chess.

Social media seems to think otherwise. Many Twitter users are disdainful of the idea, even as it’s clear that it’s a sign of the times.

Read the full WSJ report here>>