Fortnite is an immensely popular game in the Battle Royale genre and some even regard it as the greatest battle royale game of all time. The game was released in 2017 and was developed by Epic Games. Fortnite is split into three distinctive game modes, each one offering something different. However, the game engine and gameplay remain constant across these game modes.Ā
The first game mode is Fortnite Battle Royale where up to 100 players compete against one another. This continues until only one player is standing. This game mode is free for all and requires no membership for joining in. The second mode is called Fortnite: Save the World which is a survival game predicated upon tower defense.
Ā This hybrid shooter mode supports 4 players who cooperate to fight against Zombies. They can use firearms and innovative traps and defenses for warding off these zombies. Both of these modes were released as a part of Fortnite content in 2017. The third mode is called Fortnite Creative where players are allowed complete and uninhibited liberty over the creation of battlegrounds and entire worlds. Fortnite Creative was released later on the 6th of December 2018.
All three of these modes received appreciation and were successful for Epic Games in general. However, the mode that truly stood out and marked Fortnite on the map of gaming was its Battle Royale Mode. The Battle Royale mode of Fortnite received critical acclaim and profound commercial success. It became a veritable cultural phenomenon and drew in players by the droves. There were at least 125 million players that joined the gameās servers within a year. The game generated revenue that exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars monthly. The fact that Fortnite managed to accrue more than 9 billion dollars by December 2019 speaks volumes about the gameās popularity and sensational achievements.
Fortnite Save the World is a game mode exclusive to Consoles, macOS, and Microsoft Windows. The rest of the game modes were ported to iOS, Android and Nintendo Switch except the Save the World mode. Fortnite also made its way onto the next-generation consoles when they debuted on the global market. The next-generation version of Fortnite promised improved graphics and smoother gameplay as well.
Fortnite offers a vast and vividly colorful world where players can compete against each other for repute and glory. The game offers 3 modes and each of these modes is unique and distinctive in its execution and mechanisms. The details about them can be listed as follows:
Fortnite: Save the World is the first game mode and offers players the chance to cooperate in a controlled environment. Four players can collaborate in this game mode to attain a shared aim in numerous missions. The gameās setting is in a chance storm that suddenly spawns on Earth.
Consequentially, about 98% of the Earthās total population vanishes and the survivors of the storm have to contend with āHusksā, creatures that resemble zombies. Players assume the mantle of commanders of home base shelters. Their objectives are to scrounge for resources, craft and save equipment that can collect information on the storm or repel it, and save survivors as well. Players will be rewarded with several attractive rewards for completing their objectives and missions. These include schematics for weapons and traps, special hero characters, and survivors. These can also be leveled up by using experience garnered to enhance their abilities and strengths.
The second game mode is called the Fortnite Battle Royale and is perhaps the most prominent and popular of game modes that Fortnite has to offer. The Battle Royale setting pitches players against other players on a vast battlefield. About 100 players participate in these matches and there are options to play solo, in a duo, or on a team of 3 to 4 players.
The players are airdropped onto the battlefield from a āBattle Busā that careens across the gameās map. The players donāt have any weapons when they are first dropped onto the battlefield and they have to search for items, resources, ammo, weapons, etc. within the map. This is easier said than done as the battlefield will be filled with players that are gunning for each other.
A weaponless challenger offers very little in the way of repudiation to elimination. The map keeps shrinking in commensuration with the number of players that die. This elevates the challenge factor as cover and covered area are reduced for the surviving players. The area outside the shrinking zone becomes filled with a toxic storm and any players caught in it will continue to take damage till they escape it. This skirmish between players will continue until there is only a single player, duo, or team remains and they will be the victor of the session.
The third mode is called the Fortnite Creative mode and it is a sandbox-styled mode that affords players unprecedented control over creation abilities. Players will be able to create and spawn any item on their island. This includes any item from the Fortnite Battle Royaleās repertoire. Players can choose to create any form of the race course, battle maps, platforming challenges, etc. The range of crafting and building is limited only by the playerās imagination in this game mode.
Players can utilize their pickaxe to destroy structures that are built on the map. The latent resources of these structures can then be collected by the player and these include bricks, wood, and metal. These resources can then be employed for the construction of other structures like defenses, walls, stairs, floors, etc. on the battlefield by the players.
Players can even customize these defenses by adding doors or windows. The resources that are used in the construction of these structures evince varying degrees of durability. They can also be upgraded to stronger more durable versions of the same material as well. Players can use these defenses to bolster the fortification of their shelters or create traps for fending off and defeating husks in Save the World mode.
Fortniteās Battle Royale and Creative modes are free to play and require no payment. However, Save the World is a paid mode and players will need to pay for engaging in this mode. Fortnite and all of its mods use V-Bucks, the gameās internal currency. This currency can also be purchased by spending actual money. However, it can also be earned by completing milestones or finishing missions within the Save the World game mode. The V-Bucks that players earn or purchase can be traded for loot boxes.Ā
The latter are Llama-shaped piƱatas and upon being opened they reward players with a random assortment of items. Players can use these V-Bucks to purchase different upgrades in Battle Royale mode. Most of these upgrades are cosmetic and alter the appearances of the player character and arsenal. But, players can also buy the Battle Pass for the Battle Royale mode. This is a depiction of the various tiers of rewards and customization options that can be obtained through the duration of a season of Battle Royale.
Epic Games began working on the development of Fortnite right after releasing Gears of War 3. The idea was to blend the aspects of world construction with fast-paced shooting and challenging gameplay. Several factors hindered the development of the game, one of which was the transition to Unreal Engine 4 from 3.Ā
Also, the gameās ambiance and style were shifted from Gearās dark and gritty to a more quirky and cartoony one. The game also received a role-playing update which was intended to improve and lengthen the gameās attraction and relevance amongst players. Epic Games also enlisted the assistance of Tencent, a Chinese Publisher to bolster the gameās developmental effectiveness. This led to many executives quitting the company, including Cliff Bleszinski who had been a key figure in the development of Fortnite. Fortnite was also treated as a testing lab of sorts where games as a service could be offered to the gamers and consumers in general. This also significantly reduced the gameās developmental pace.
Epic eventually managed to release Fortnite in July 2017. It was released as an Early Access title that needed to be purchased. The aim was to garner as much feedback from players as possible so that the game could be improved. It wasnāt until 2019 that the game was released in a free-to-play format. The player VS environment mode was renamed to āSave the Worldā upon the release of Fortnite's Battle Royale mode.Ā
The main impetus for opting to include Battle Royale as a playable mode was the phenomenal success of Player Unknown Battlegrounds. The latter had sold more than 5 million copies by then. It was this success that drove Epic Games to integrate a Battle Royale mode in Fortnite as well. Finally, Epic Games released Fortniteās premium version on the 29th of June 2020 and removed it from early access. The game has become a global craze and has dedicated fans all across the world.
