Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has become a worldwide phenomenon with millions of players across the globe. The original game mode, Fortnite: Save the World, is a shooter-survival game where players can fight off zombie-esque monsters called “husks.” Perhaps just as popular, if not more than Fortnite: Save the World, is Fortnite: Battle Royale. 

Battle Royale’s setup is a little different than the original gameplay. Rather than taking on zombies with only four players, one hundred players enter the same arena and fight to be the last person standing. 

Regardless of the version, the game has certainly left its mark on Israel and Jewish youth as well. One Israeli power company even asked Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, to remove the feature that allows players to scale electric poles. Their fear was that it would encourage Israeli kids to mimic the dangerous behavior, but Epic Games has yet to formally respond. 

As popular as it is, Fortnite has become an everyday fixture in many kids’ lives—including their birthday parties. One party service, AirballingLA, has jumped on the trend and recently introduced a Fortnite birthday party package to clients. 

Residents of Los Angeles, especially those who live in zip codes 90019 or 92084, can take full advantage of the Fortnite Birthday party package and Airballing LA’s delivery service. 

Airballing LA describes their Fortnite party as a “birthday party where kids get to reenact Fortnite with a variety of Nerf Guns, a portable Fortnite Battle Arena, Chalk Bombs, and Smoke Bombs.” The party is molded after Battle Royale specifically, with teams of party guests that are stuck in the same arena. 

Of course, the vision for the Fortnite party package goes beyond a video game. Airballing LA’s mission is to promote physical activity for kids of all ages. Various studies have proven that cardiovascular exercise, like running in a makeshift battle arena, can increase blood flow to the brain and improve cognitive function overall. 

By using a popular interest, like Fortnite, young children may see exercise as something they want to do, rather than an activity they’re forced to do. 

Airballing LA’s Fortnite package also may help children learn better team-building skills as well. Party guests get their own team wear and must rely on each other if they plan to win. 

The artillery that parents will see in the party are from Nerf’s specialty line of Fortnite weapons, so they mirror the design of many of the weapons from the game. The other primary weapons, smoke bombs and chalk bombs, are modeled after Fortnite’s “boogie bombs.” Boogie bombs are a rare utility item and are now only found in creative mode. 

Players can throw these bombs like a regular grenade, but any other players within the vicinity must dance for five seconds. To recreate this, Airballing LA creates “supply drops,” which are crates that store smoke and chalk bombs. To get these real-life “boogie bombs,” players may have to run across the battle arena. 

Nine paintball bunkers make up this battle arena, but parents may want to include their own props as well for a more authentic experience. Currently, Airballing LA only offers this package at outdoor locations, such as nearby parks. Securing the space will be the parent’s responsibility, and the party service recommends that they get at least 8,000 square feet (or the distance of the two basketball courts). 

Although most birthday parties include plenty of adult supervision, Airballing LA ensures that the gameplay stays safe by providing every party with its own Fortnite coach. The coach helps set up the battle arena, explains how the game works to the guests and supervises the action.

Even once the gameplay is over, the coach will usually offer a few mini-games to keep the fun going. Each party of ten gets one Fortnite coach, but parents that book parties of twenty will get a second one. 

For parents that may be interested in the service, the current price for a standard Fortnite party from Airballing LA is $650. This includes artillery for ten guests, ten chalk bombs, three smoke bombs, and two ultra-smoke bombs. Protective equipment like goggles and team wear also come included in that price. Parties over six, however, will be subject to a 10% gratuity fee, and any payment that comes from a credit card will have another 6% fee added on. 

Airballing LA does offer add-ons for their standard plan, such as ten or five more smoke bombs for an additional charge. If parents plan to invite more than ten guests, each extra guest costs another $25, but the service only allows up to twenty players for each party. For this number of people, the company raises the price to $1,300, which includes the cost of more supplies, equipment, and an additional coach for gameplay. 

As long as the delivery is within twenty miles of zip code 90019 in Los Angeles, Airballing LA will deliver and set up the materials for no additional cost. The company can also only guarantee its supplies for an hour and a half, so all Fortnite parties must stay within this timeframe. 

It’s important to note that Airballing LA highly recommends that every child who participates is above the age of eight. On their site, the service explains why: “Some of our nerf guns used in our Fortnite party are high impact nerf guns that might be too much for anyone younger.” 

While Fortnite may still be a relatively new trend for some parents, the video game’s rippling effect has spanned the globe, including Jewish youth. For children that may be interested in having a Fortnite-themed party, Airballing LA’s new party package offers a professional edge that many homemade parties can’t compare to. 

With a variety of features and equipment, this party plan may be the right option for families that want a Fortnite birthday without too much hassle.