Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you’ve at least heard of Fortnite – it’s basically the gaming sensation of recent times (you might be cute, Animal Crossing , but you’re not you have 350 million players).
Fortnite is a behemoth, having broken into the crest of the battle royale gaming wave with great success a couple of years ago, and is now available on a wide range of platforms.
However, even if you have heard about it, you may not know what Fortnite is, how it works, how to play it or why it matters so much to everyone. We are here to help you with a breakdown of what the game is and everything you need to know.
What is Fortnite Battle Royale?
The original version of Fortnite was conceived by developers Epic Games as a zombie survival game. An open-ended experience that pitted co-op players against waves of zombies, giving them the ability to gather resources and build bases to defend against oncoming hordes.
When PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was starting to make waves, the development team decided to create and release a new free-to-play mode for Fortnite in a similar Battle Royale style, which turned out to be genius.
This style of gameplay is based on the Japanese thriller “Battle Royale”, originally released in 2001. The premise of the game is quite simple: 100 players are dropped from a plane (or, in the case of Fortnite, a floating battle bus). to a large island or area where they have to fight each other until there is one last survivor or one surviving team.
Adding to the tension, a randomly placed doom circle forces players to get closer and closer as the game progresses. Anyone caught outside this zone will inevitably die and be out of the race. Therefore, the game is not only a fight against other players, but a race against the clock.
This design was popularized by PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, but with Fortnite Epic Games added something new. The resource gathering and base building elements of the main game appear in the Battle Royale version as well. This means that players have a variety of options in how they play the game including building a base at the end to defend against other players, building catwalks in the sky or on nearby mountain tops or even speed building. of defensive walls to protect downed teammates from incoming fire while they are revived.
The game begins as a race to gather resources, find and collect bigger and better weapons, and kill or avoid other players in the vicinity. Players have to constantly keep an eye on the shrinking play area and try to stay within it without getting killed along the way. The game ends when the last players are shot and one team or individual is victorious.
Fortnite can be played solo or with friends and it’s the play with friends where this game really shines. You can play with up to four players in a squad or with two players in duos mode. The experience will vary greatly depending on the number of people playing. Alone, you don’t have anyone to watch your back, but you’re also not likely to run into a group of four enemy players at the same time.
The experience is certainly exciting and players love it. This style of play seems to be incredibly popular, but the game itself is also seeing a huge and growing number of players because not only is it available on multiple platforms, but it’s also free to play.
Fortnite Battle Royale also features bright cartoon graphics that make it attractive and easier to access than the more serious PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or Call of Duty: Warzone . With character emotes, wacky animations, and well-crafted building mechanics, it also often seems silly and more fun than a serious competitive-style game.
How to download and play Fortnite
As we have already mentioned, Fortnite is available to play on multiple gaming platforms, the most recent of which is mobile. It’s also been designed to allow for cross-platform play, meaning all of your players can play against each other regardless of which machine they’re playing on (unless they choose not to).
The intention is that everyone can play with their friends no matter what machine or device they play on. Since the game is free to play, it is also easy for anyone to dive into it.
Play on PC
On PC you can download Fortnite directly from the official website . All you need is an Epic Games account and then you are free to download the installer and get started.
Play on PlayStation
To start playing Fortnite on PS4 or PS5, simply go to the PlayStation Store and search for “Fortnite Battle Royale”. Again, the basic version is free, so just add it to your basket and download it. If you are on PC you can also add it to your account through the PlayStation store website .
play on xbox
Go to the store and search for “Fortnite Battle Royale” and then click to get it for free. You can also get it in your browser here . Notably, Fortnite is also on the Xbox One X Enhanced Games list .
Mobile
For a long time Fortnite was a bit complicated on mobile, especially on Android, but that’s not the case anymore. It can be played on most Android phones or relatively new iPhones.
You can download it here from the Apple App Store , and here from the Google Play Store .
Best of all, there are no shortcuts: Fortnite on mobile is exactly the same as it is on any other platform in terms of content, with only the visuals and controls being substantially different.
How much does Fortnite cost?
Fortnite: Battle Royale is a free game. The original survival game (now called Fortnite: Save The World) can be purchased on the web and in various console stores, but the game that everyone is obsessed with is free to access.
If you choose to do so, you can pay for cosmetic items to change your character’s appearance, but there is nothing to help you win or gain an advantage over other players.
Fortnite Battle Royale also offers Battle Passes which are optional purchases that allow players to unlock various exclusive rewards, including cosmetics like loading screens, banners, character emotes, different gliders, and more.
These Battle Passes are sold on a “seasonal” basis, meaning they apply for a limited period and will appeal more to dedicated players and fans of the game. Once purchased, the more you play, the more rewards you’ll unlock, with 100 rewards available, one for each season level. Players can also purchase a “Battle Pack” which instantly unlocks 25 levels and requires less play time.
Battle Passes and other in-game items can be purchased in-game using the game’s premium currency, V-Bucks, and if you buy a lot of things the costs can increase. However, none of them will give you an advantage in the game. These purchases are definitely something parents should be aware of.
Is Fortnite suitable for my children?
The game is rated 12+, but parents should be aware that it involves shooting and killing other players, albeit without blood or anything like that. This means that your child will quickly become familiar with a number of types of weapons and weaponry, which can be annoying.
In addition, as in all online games, experiences can vary greatly and the influence of other players must always be taken into account. The costs are also something to watch and take into account. Fortnite isn’t as creepy as other games, but it’s not Minecraft either, so don’t assume it’s great for kids because of its art style.