Ben Affleck has shared that his experiences playing online games, particularly shooters like Fortnite, have led to arguments with younger players in voice chat. The actor also stated that his immersion in the gaming world, specifically the concept of Fortnite skins, directly inspired the costume design for his latest film, the Netflix thriller 'Animals'.
During an appearance on the New Heights podcast, Affleck discussed how his son's interest in Fortnite skins, which he described as "tough," sparked an idea. "I thought these costumes are so kind of random and unusual, that's what I based the costumes on," Affleck explained, noting that he envisioned the characters obtaining their outfits from games. He added that the distinctive, often unusual, nature of these digital outfits was a primary influence.
Affleck admitted to being an avid gamer himself, playing a variety of titles including sports games like Madden and 2K, as well as first-person shooters. He humorously confessed that while he believes his shooter skills are decent, he is consistently outmatched by much younger players. "I play first person shooter games, so I think I'm good, and then 12-year-olds just f**k you up," he said. He recounted experiences of being quickly eliminated and then taunted by younger players, leading to heated exchanges where he defends his abilities.
This is not the first time Affleck has spoken publicly about his gaming passion. He has previously expressed a fondness for Valorant, having attended multiple events for the tactical shooter with his son. He has mentioned previously that his preferred character in Valorant is KAY/0 and even joined the esports team Sentinels for a watch party, discussing his gameplay experiences live on stream.