Fortnite is one of the most popular games in the world at the moment, with an ever-growing professional esports scene and millions watching and playing the third-person Battle Royale phenomenon, you know, the one your parents see on the news. So if they ask you... what exactly is Fortnite?
What is Fortnite?
Fortnite is a Battle Royale game created by Epic Games and published in 2017. It pits you against 99 other players with only one winner. Players drop from the skies to various locations on the map as they search for loot to help them take down their opponents, all while the map gradually gets smaller, forcing players to think smart and act quickly.What makes Fortnite stand out, though, is its cartoon-like graphics and colorful scenery that'll keep you hooked and wanting to play more as you explore a large open-world map (the only one Fortnite has) looking for that epic loot. We mentioned the map getting smaller, well, what happens is that in every match, a ring makes its way towards a central point in the map that players need to get to if they want to live. Staying outside this circle will mean death and game over if you tarry for too long.Another thing Fortnite does well is its building structure mechanics. They allow your character to loot certain amounts of materials to build complex structures anywhere on the map. It's these buildings that'll help you during your games and are an essential part of winning in Fortnite. Also, you can set all sorts of traps for your enemies to really strategize to your particular playstyle.
Does Fortnite have any other modes?
Currently, Epic Games has three different game modes using the same engine with similar graphics, art assets, and game mechanics which are:
- Save the World is designed as a player-versus-environment game, with players cooperating towards a common objective on multiple missions. The game is set after a major storm appears across Earth, causing nearly all of the population to disappear, and the survivors are attacked by zombie-like husks.
- Creative is a typical sandbox game mode with close similarities to the popular game Minecraft where players can essentially do what they want and create their own adventures.
- Battle Royale is what we have discussed! If you have been reading along, you'll know it is a player-versus-all mode with 100 players and only one winner.
Fortnite can contribute some of its success to being a free-to-play game in that no purchase of the game is required. However, it should be noted that the game does contain microtransactions which have been a point of debate for quite some time within the video game industry, as links suggest a rise in video game addiction and gambling, not to mention its esports scene is struggling.
But just in case you are starting out and don't know where to land:
