Joseph Deen, an 8-year-old American child, was hired to play Fortnite at a professional level by the eSports Team 33 team. The signing involved a $ 33,000 prize pool and is highly controversial given the player’s age.
Although the Fortnite phenomenon continues to captivate millions of players around the world and generate millions more for teams dedicated to e-Sports, the Tem 33 team has been the target of several criticisms after hiring the player known as “33 Gosu” .
Joseph Deen, 8, professional Fortnite player
Joseph is the exception to the rule, being the youngest professional player in the American eSports organization based in the city of Los Angeles, United States of America. The organization also says it is looking for another player for the international team.
The criticisms, however, did not take long to be heard, with several entities concerned with the young age of the child. In addition, in order to compete in official Fortnite tournaments, players must be at least 13 years old.
Among the voices that most criticize Deen’s hiring is Ryan Fairchild, legal representative of the e-Sports league who has spared no criticism of the team in question, also citing some background in the industry and the respective outcome of the cases.
The e-Sports industry and the protection of minors
Fairchild said that there are some legal loopholes that can be used by Team 33, since labor legislation does not anticipate the “new” reality of e-Sports. One of the possibilities considered is the use of the gap referring to minors who work in the entertainment industry, a sector that in the United States of America foresees some exceptions.
As this voice warns, it is no longer the first time that Fortnite is involved in controversy due to the young age of professional players. For Fairchild, the case that involved the player H1ghsky1, in 2019, an integral part of the FaZe Clan is still very present. Player H1ghsky1 was not at least 13 years old to participate in Fortnite tournaments.
A similar case that occurred in Brazil is also pointed out. There, a 9-year-old player gained a lot of popularity, but was banned from Fortnite Arena mode until he reached the minimum age imposed by Epic Games for his game.
“A dream come true” – Joseph Deen
For Joseph Deen, who has been playing and training since he was 6 years old, signing for Team 33 was a “dream come true”. Speaking to prnewswire.com, Deen was enthusiastic about the opportunity he was given.
“While other teams don’t take me seriously due to my age, Tem 33 recruited me through several Fortnite sessions, they let me train and learn daily from them. Today I couldn’t be happier when I became official member of Team 33, “commented Joseph Deen.
Deen now has five more years to prepare and train until he can participate in official Fortnite tournaments.
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