Fortnite Battle Royale pro Turner ‘Tfue’ Tenney has filed a lawsuit against esports giant FaZe Clan over his “oppressive contract” – but that is far from the only legal battle the org is facing, with one of their youngest players admitting to lying about their age to secure a spot on the team.
FaZe’s Patrick ‘h1ghsky1’ stirred controversy in late May, after Tfue’s lawsuit alleged that the player was a mere 11 years old upon signing with the group, who had touted him as a 13-year-old Fortnite aficionado.
The young pro’s Twitch and Twitter accounts were suspended shortly thereafter, with h1ghsky1 later admitting during a YouTube stream that he had, indeed, lied about his age to “follow his dreams” – but the drama didn’t mark the end of his stint with FaZe.
H1ghsky1’s involvement with FaZe Clan stirred up controversy after Tfue’s lawsuit alleged that he was signed at the young age of 11 – an accusation that was later confirmed by the youngster.600
H1ghsky1 was later seen inside the Clout House (the California-based mansion shared by members of FaZe Clan) in the midst their legal scuffles, as evidenced by a video uploaded by FaZe Kay on June 15.
In the video, the youngster can be seen running about the house, elated about the reinstatement of his Instagram account, which was also suppressed in light of Tfue’s lawsuit.
H1ghSky1 is so happy he got his Instagram back!! pic.twitter.com/njV2r8zh1V
— FaZe Kay (@FaZeKay) June 15, 2019
With reports confirming that h1ghsky1 was 11 years old as of being signed to the group in mid-March, many critics began to question the legality of his signage, prompting FaZe co-owner Ricky Banks and Drama Alert’s KEEMSTAR to stake $10,000 each on the legitimacy of the operation.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
With California labor laws requiring a special permit for performers under the age of twelve, matters are a bit murky in regards to h1ghsky1’s involvement with the group, especially considering that he doesn’t actually live in California – although it could be argued that much of his work for FaZe takes place in the state.
H1ghsky1 has had a roller coaster of a time with FaZe Clan, with co-owner Ricky Banks taking the youngster to meet such celebrities as Marshmello and rapper Lil Yachty.https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/faze-banks-surprises-13-year-old-fortnite-pro-h1ghsky-celebrity-meet-up-504534
It has since been revealed that other contracts offered to Tfue by FaZe were illegal, as stated by his lawyer, Bryan Freedman, during an interview with theScore Esports on June 14.
“Those contracts provide for illegal procurement without a talent agency license,” Freedman said of the matter. “Even worse, those contracts attempted to get Turner to waive the California Talent Agency act. No one could possibly sign something like that because it would be so illegal.”
While h1ghsky1’s adorable enthusiasm quickly won hearts across the net, his situation is now being met with ample criticism in wake of Tfue’s legal action against FaZe.