Ever since Fortnite went mobile, parents and teachers alike have been citing the battle royale as a frequent distraction for children in the classroom. In fact, Epic even added a special message to the game after a teacher asked the company to help him get his students to pay attention. However, there are certainly other venues for distracted Fortnite players, and it seems that Major League Baseball can count itself as one of them.
Apparently, the Philadelphia Phillies have a Fortnite problem, with some players choosing to spend portions of a game against the Atlanta Braves, which occurred last September, playing the shooter sensation in the clubhouse. This was not looked upon kindly by veteran first baseman Carlos Santana, and the report indicates that he "grabbed a bat, retreated to the room at Citizens Bank Park where the gaming took place, and smashed the TV."
This act took place at the end of the game, which marked the Phillies' ninth consecutive loss. Santana spoke to ESPN on the matter saying:
I see a couple players -- I don't want to say names -- they play video games during the game. We come and lose too many games, and I feel like they weren't worried about it. Weren't respecting their teammates or coaches or the staff or the [front] office. It's not my personality. But I'm angry because I want to make it good.
The Phillies have since confirmed Fortnite as the catalyst for Santana's outburst, and management seems to acknowledge that there are some fundamental issues with the team's clubhouse. This is something that the club is attempting to address, as they look to team leaders to outline policies that will keep players focused on the game, such as requiring pitchers to remain in the dugout.
Time will tell if these new boundaries can keep the Phillies' thinking about home runs rather than Fortnite kills, but certainly some steps are being made. Since the incident, Santana has been traded to the Seattle Mariners, so he will, at least, not be responsible for any TV smashing at the Phillies' organization in the upcoming season.
Fortnite is available now in early access for Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: ESPN