Fortnite pro RizArt made a splash last fall when he set a new record for solo kills. Besides his gameplay, one thing that made the pro stand out was that he claimed to be in sixth grade. That was a lie.
RizArt is a member of the Japanese Fortnite team Crazy Raccoon, which recently hosted its first cup match. The team is making its way to the forefront of the country’s growing esports scene.
RizArt, one of the team’s stars, has posted an apology, admitting that he was not truthful.
“I’m not actually in grade school but rather, I am a 16-year-old high school freshman,” RizArt said in the clip as he read what appeared to be prepared remarks. “I am truly sorry for not telling everyone the truth.”
RizArt said his gaming buddies said he sounded and looked young, so on a lark, he began passing himself off as an elementary school student when streaming, pretending he was “Rizart the sixth-grader.” It was all an act.
It worked. He sounds and looks young. Online RizArt was soon hailed as “the strongest grade schooler in Japan” (日本一の最強小学生).
“The number of my subscribers increased and I kept feeling like I needed to tell the truth,” he said. After joining Crazy Raccoon, they decided honesty was best.
During the apology, RizArt did several deep bows and repeatedly said he was sorry.
“I don’t think everyone will soon forgive me,” RizArt added. “I will donate three months of my YouTube earnings to charity. Also, I decided to shave my head.”