Ben Affleck has a recurring problem with pre-teens on the internet. During an appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, the actor and filmmaker admitted that his gaming sessions frequently devolve into verbal arguments with 12-year-olds after they defeat him in Fortnite.
The Oscar-winning director described a cycle of being “humbled” by young players who taunt him after winning a match. Affleck noted that the frustration is compounded by the culture of the game, including the “emotes” players use to celebrate a kill. He also expressed sticker shock at the price of in-game cosmetics, noting that certain skins his son, Samuel, requested reportedly cost hundreds of dollars.
While these interactions might seem like a standard “gamer dad” grievance, they directly influenced Affleck’s creative process. The visual aesthetic of Fortnite—specifically a “fuzzy bunny mask” his son favored—served as the inspiration for costume designs in his new Netflix thriller, Animals. The film, which premiered on October 9, 2026, features characters utilizing the kind of “random and unusual” masks frequently seen in battle royale lobbies.
Despite the comedic nature of his Fortnite losses, Affleck is more than a casual observer of gaming culture. He has a documented history with competitive shooters, previously reaching the rank of Iron 3 in Valorant as a KAY/O main.
His interest in the digital space extends into technical proficiency as well. Beyond gaming, Affleck has demonstrated a deep understanding of technology, including the ability to write in Python and an understanding of convolutional neural networks.
The release of Animals marks a busy promotional window for Affleck. For Affleck, the bridge between his domestic life—navigating the digital demands and insults of 12-year-old gamers—and his professional output as a filmmaker appears increasingly thin, with the “humbling” experience of Fortnite now baked into the visual identity of his cinema.
