It’s been four years since Fortnite’s release. Four years is a long time in the gaming industry, so Fortnite still being the most popular Battle Royale shooter is quite an achievement. So, why Epic Games’ shooter’s continued success? A wide variety of reasons. Here’s why the game has become a fixture, and why Battle Royale enthusiasts should make a Fortnite account.
Building Things Up
Lots of games, including Fortnite, followed the success of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and gave their own spin to what was then a new subgenre. For Fortnite, its building structures, especially on the fly. From something as simple as a wall to more elaborate ones like towers and small forts – pun intended – this has become an integral part of the gameplay. More traditional things like positioning, enemy avoidance, survival, and gunplay still matter, but players shouldn’t expect to be good at the game if they’re not good at building.
And it’s not enough to just build. Players have to build fast and smart. They have to know what to build, when to build it, and how to build it right away. They also need to know what not to build in a particular situation, as there are times when a structure can cause more problems than offer an advantage.
For Kids of All Ages
Another thing Fortnite has going for it is its wide appeal. Let’s compare it with its competitors. Apex Legends is a hero-based sci-fi Battle Royale shooter, so its demographic is those that like its aesthetic and high stakes co-op team battles. Call of Duty Warzone, on the other hand, got long-time military shooter fanatics hooked, especially those that have been a Call of Duty fan for quite some time now. It’s also the game for those looking for a simple, straightforward, and action-oriented
All of those things are simply not there in Fortnite. Players aren’t given roles; they simply need to play smart in order to survive or help out your teammates. It’s also not as ordnance-obsessed as Call of Duty. Instead, it’s simply just fun.
Sure, the game can be played competitively and very much so, as there have been lots of e-sports events for it. The game itself, however, doesn’t pressure average, everyday players into competing at that level. In fact, many aspects of the game screams “it’s just a game, don’t take it too seriously”. This is true with the art style, the emotes, and the lack of blood and other gritty elements.
It’s why it should be no surprise why a lot of parents don’t mind if their kids play Fortnite. Heck, some of them would rather see their kids play Fortnite than any other games out there, where they are more likely to find actual inappropriate content.
Pop Cultural Crossover Phenomenon
Crossovers have become rather common in recent gaming history. Monster Hunter in Final Fantasy XIV, Witcher III in Monster Hunter World, Aloy of Horizon Zero Dawn in Genshin Impact, and many others. Fortnite, however, has perhaps become the king of the hill in this department.
Skins play a huge social role in a lot of online games, and Fortnite is no exception. Its crossover skins from the Fortnite Item Shop, however, sell the best due to their pop culture value and sheer love for these characters. In fact, Fortnite Accounts for sale that have crossover skins sell the most and the fastest. And now, it seems like Fortnite has become the video game with the greatest number of crossover skins.
At this point, people no longer ask if a particular character is in Fortnite. Instead, they ask who still isn’t in Fortnite, or when they will be. Name a very famous character and chances are that he or she is there. The Mandalorian? He’s there. Kratos? He’s there too. The Predator? You’d be wrong to say no.
Plus, Fortnite is no longer content in getting one character at a time. Now they take multiple characters from a single franchise in one sitting, or add up one at a time until the roster of skins from the franchise has swollen. Among the many franchises Fortnite continues to have crossovers with, Marvel is perhaps the best example. The game has so many characters from it that it’s now possible to recreate Avengers versus X-Men, Civil War, and many other comic and movie crossovers.
Love it, hate it, not care about it – Fortnite is here to stay a little longer, and for many good reasons. So if you haven’t jumped in to the top Battle Royale yet, there is no better time to do so than now.
