Move over Fortnite. There’s a new free-for-all game that’s blowing up in schools and homes all over Australia. Think Call of Duty-style first-person shooter with a Roblox-like aesthetic that anybody can play free in their browser, on almost any device - no downloads required.
Gamers are loving Krunker.io for its fast and furious pace and funky graphics. Parents and teachers not so much.
Why schools should worry
It’s all about gun violence
It’s a first-person shooter, after all. Krunker.io players can choose to arm themselves with assault rifles, rocket launchers, revolvers, light machine guns and pretty much everything in between.
It features chat with adult strangers
And like all such games, abusive, offensive or just plain aggro voices abound. When your students play during school-time, that puts your duty of care at risk.
It’s only free til it’s not
Developers do not release “free” games out of the goodness of their hearts. They do it for one reason only: to make money through in-app purchases. (That’s how Fortnite, another “free” game, managed to earn US $2.5 BILLION last year.)
The game also features sneaky embedded ads, none of which can be turned off with an ad-blocker, some of which promote offensive content.
Its age verification is non-existent
Krunker.io’s online “Information for Parents” states, “Your child should always be honest about his age.” And its self-awarded age rating is 8 years old.
How Family Zone can help
Family Zone's School Manager makes it easy to vanquish Krunker - and any other game that's launching an attack on your students' focus and attention.