We all know how easy it is to get engrossed in a match of your favorite video game, and how many times have we been there, angrily shouting at the screen when we're sent to the Gulag in Call of Duty: Warzone or are back to the lobby in Apex Legends?
As one of the most popular battle royale games out there, don't let the cutesy animations and many Spider-Man crossovers of Fortnite fool you – it's not just for kids. Part of Fortnite's appeal is that it's free, meaning casual gamers can jump into a match and technically don't have to pay a thing. Of course, Epic Games makes a not-so-small fortune from skins and the Battle Pass, and that's where they get you.
Ever since Chapter 1 Season 1 kicked off in October 2017, Fortnite has been going from strength to strength. Major streamers have made their name with the title, while Epic continues to try and reinvent itself to keep each season fresh.
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Away from scandalous stories of cheaters trying to con their way to prize money, Dexerto has reported on one man who accidentally dialled 911 during a game of Fortnite and ended up with the police force at his door. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those harrowing situations where someone is shot while streaming to their audience.
We're used to the likes of Felix "xQc" Lengyel being swatted while on stream, but to swat yourself is a new one.
Apparently, his damaged phone screen managed to phone the police, with Jackson County Sheriff’s Office dispatching all available units to attend the residence amid fears of the shooting. In reality, it was just the gamer firing off a few shots from his Fortnite guns.
Alarming bodycam footage shows how deputies surround the home and then order the young man to come out with his hands above his head. After lifting his shirt to prove he isn't concealing a weapon, he's then cuffed.
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When the boy's parents permitted authorities to search the premises, officers soon realized there was no real threat.
Jackson County Undersheriff Jeremy Barnett explained to Michigan Live: "Upon further investigation, it was found that the caller’s phone malfunctioned and called 911 while they were playing Fortnite. The residence was checked and showed no signs of a shooting."
Going with the whole 'boys will be boys' mantra, Barnett concluded: "The kid was just playing the game and somehow his phone became unlocked and called 911.
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“Hearing the 911 call, it sounded real bad. Thankfully it was just a video game and everything was okay."
Instead of being charged with a nuisance call or wasting police time, this looks like a genuine mistake that could've been a lot worse. Still, with an alarming number of recent cases where people are being killed while streaming live, the young gamer was lucky the police were so quick to respond and take the danger seriously.