FreeZenon Campaign Aims to Unban Brazilian Child Fortnite Prodigy

Epic Games banned child Fortnite prodigy Zenon on Monday for violating the age restrictions on its Cash Cup matches, provoking outrage in the game's community.

Zenon, one of the best Fortnite players in Brazil despite his age, was competing in the Fortnite Arena when he received his ban. The ban message, written in Portuguese, says Zenon is forbidden from competitive matches for competing while under the age requirement of 13 years.

A clip from Zenon's stream shows him crying when the ban appears, locking him out of the game for the four years necessary for him to reach the minimum age.

The hashtag #FreeZenon, started in the wake of the ban, features thousands of players calling on Epic Games to reinstate the player.

"Unless Arenas start offering money for placements there is no reason for #FreeZenon to be banned from them until he turns 13," streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins wrote on Twitter. "That being said the age requirement to compete in Fortnite is 13 and he is 9. He shouldn’t be banned from any other aspect of Fortnite 100%."

FreeZenon Campaign Aims to Unban Brazilian Child Fortnite Prodigy

The rule in question appears in section three of the Fortnite Cash Cup Chapter 2 Season 2 rulebook. Under subsection 3.1, Player Age, Epic Games writes the following:

"To be eligible to participate in any Cash Cup match, a player must be at least 13 years old (or such other age, if greater, as may be required in such player’s country of residence). If a player is under 18 years of age or the age of majority as defined in such player’s country of residence (a 'Minor'), such player must have permission from a parent or legal guardian in order to participate in the Event."

Although the rules statute allows wiggle room for parental consent, that freedom doesn't apply to would-be players under 13.

Epic Games has yet to comment, either on the #FreeZenon trend or the ban.