Fortnite July 6 hacking hoax claims players see accounts ‘swapped’ and see everything deleted
NO, your Fortnite account is not being deleted.
There is a hoax gathering steam online telling players that their accounts are going to be "swapped" on July 6, but it is completely untrue.
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YouTube, as ever, is a hive of misinformation and conspiracy theories, getting many more gullible Fortnite users into something of a lather.
Twitter is not much better, with many confused users posting on the platform about the entirely baseless rumour.
One credulous fan, typical of many on Twitter, posted in reply to a recent Fortnite update posted by Epic Games saying: "Are we going to lose our accounts on July 6th? I'm so scared."
"What is up with everyone saying people are getting hacked on July 6?" asks one typically confused player, while others are suggesting that "many accounts will be terminated" on July 6.
Others are suggesting the date will feature some sort of "account swap" that will see users' greatest fears realised - their account, with all their sharp outfits and fashionable accessories, will have been swapped with someone else's 'default' account.
Those spreading the rumours claim mysterious "hackers" are behind the sinister plot, and falsely claim that Epic Games' summer break means the servers will be defenceless.
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Is it dedication, or addiction?
GAMING addiction is a hot topic, and many dedicated gamers might be worried that they're crossing the line.
But how can you tell if you're playing too much, and determine if you should think about cutting down?
Believing this sort of nonsense hoax is definitely a warning sign you are losing touch with reality, and indicates you should probably examine your own gaming habits.
The World Health Organistation has revealed nine criteria for gaming disorder - if five or more apply to you, you may be officially an addict.
- preoccupation with games
- withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away
- tolerance, resulting in the need to spend increasing amounts of time engaged in games
- unsuccessful attempts to control participation in games
- loss of interest in previous hobbies and entertainment as a result of, and with the exception of, games
- continued excessive use of games despite knowledge of psychosocial problems
- deceiving family members, therapists, or others regarding the amount of gaming
- use of games to escape or relieve negative moods
- jeopardizing or losing a significant relationship, job, or education or career opportunity because of participation in games.
Take the test online here.
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One source of the rumour appears to be a Twitter account with 8 followers, which first tweeted the hoax three weeks ago.
A week later the claims made it to some more popular YouTubers, before being spread by a mixture of credulous fans and malicious trolls.
It's also spreading via social network TikTok, with one Twitter user user saying he "saw a TikTok three people that posted that on July 6 everyone’s account is going to get deleted."
This is ridiculous and not true
Nick Chester
Since then, an increasing number of users have been messaging them on Epic, telling the overworked developers to cancel any planned holidays and pleading for reassurance.
Epic's senior PR rep, Nick Chester, has also been forced to shoot the hoax down on Twitter, telling one timorous player it was "ridiculous and not true."
There is no evidence whatsoever behind any of these claims, and almost all of them are technically impossible.
Even if any of the claims were true, the nature of the sort of databases used to run games such as Fortnite mean it would be entirely possible to simply revert the changes by restoring a very recent back-up.
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Recently in Fortnite the much-loved Pump Shotghun has returned as the challenges for the game's 14 Days of Summer event have got underway.
For those tiring of Epic Games endless shenanigans, we have come up with list of a few games you might have missed after being swept up in the Fortnite hype.
Those might be needed soon anyway, with Epic recently floundering in Parliament when asked to answer for the game's negative consequences and defend themselves against Prince Harry's outspoken attacks.
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