[save_ferris]

One major difference to point out is that fortnite doesn’t have loot boxes, you know exactly what you’re getting when spending their online currency.

I keep hearing about the social aspects behind these games (kids who don’t have skins in fortnite are bullied at school, etc.) It sounds like goods that make a child popular are just digital these days as opposed to physical items like Pokémon cards.

[jason46]

I feel 20 or so years ago kids that spent money on something that didn't provide a clear benefit would have been bullied. My wife was a gamer, when my son first asked for a gift card to buy a skin it was fun watching him try to explain that there is no benefit and it only changes the look. My wife kept asking him why do you want this?

[save_ferris]

You and I grew up in very, very different worlds then. Most things that made kids in my community were purely consumerist.

Air Jordans, Pokémon cards, brand name clothes like hollister and AE, and then popular phones like the razer were ubiquitous among those that were popular. Kids who didn’t have those things were bullied relentlessly.

[tripzilch]

That sounds awful. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Sounds like an American high school sitcom TV series scene.

[save_ferris]

Yep, I’m quite happy to have peaked in adulthood and not in high school.

[amyjess]

20 years ago, kids were being bullied for not wearing Abercrombie & Fitch.

I was in high school then. The people who didn't care about aesthetics were always the ones bullied.