Fortnite Battle Royale, developed and published by Epic Games, is a free-to-play video game that debuted alongside Fortnite: Save the World, a cooperative survival game with building mechanics. Initially launched in early access on September 26, 2017, for macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, it later expanded to iOS, Nintendo Switch, and Android. Epic removed the early access tag from the game on June 29, 2020, and subsequently released versions for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 as launch titles in late 2020.
The game’s premise aligns with other battle royale titles: 100 players parachute onto an island, scavenging for weapons and resources while contending with other players. Participants can go solo or team up in groups of up to four. Over time, the playable area shrinks, forcing players closer together and into combat, with a damaging storm enclosing the safe zone. Fortnite distinguishes itself with its building mechanics, allowing players to construct structures for defense or tactical advantage using collected resources. The game adopts a seasonal approach, introducing new content and limited-time events, often accompanied by changes to the game map. Various game modes, such as “Battle Lab” and “Party Royale,” have been added since its inception.
Inspired by the success of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds in 2017, Epic Games developed Fortnite Battle Royale initially as part of Save the World but later shifted to a free-to-play model funded by in-game purchases. The game received acclaim for its accessible gameplay, visual style, multiplayer experience, and progression system, although it faced criticism regarding safety concerns. It quickly gained traction, surpassing its competitors in player count and revenue, reaching over 350 million players by May 2020. Fortnite achieved cultural prominence, aided by endorsements from celebrities like Ninja, Marshmello, and Drake, leading to record-breaking viewership on streaming platforms.
Fortnite Battle Royale adheres to the typical structure of the battle royale genre, with up to 100 players competing either solo or in teams of two, three, or four. Each match begins with players skydiving from a flying “Battle Bus” onto the game’s map, known as The Island, which features various landmarks and locations, such as “Lazy Lake” and “Pleasant Park.” These areas are typically uninhabited during matches, with weapons, shields, and other supplies scattered throughout as “floor loot” or contained within chests found in buildings and other sites.
In February 2020, hostile NPCs were introduced, offering additional and often superior items, while friendly NPCs arrived in December 2020 to sell weapons, consumables, or provide services like acting as bot teammates or healing players. The primary objective is to outlast other players or teams by eliminating opponents or avoiding confrontations. In solo modes, players are eliminated upon losing all their health, while in squad modes, downed players can crawl around or be revived by teammates. With an update in April 2019, eliminated teammates can be respawned at “Reboot Vans” scattered across the map, albeit at a risk due to their scarcity and exposure.
As the match progresses, a shrinking safe zone, symbolizing the eye of a storm, forces players into tighter spaces, encouraging encounters. Supply drops containing high-quality weapons and items periodically spawn in random locations. Fortnite Battle Royale’s distinguishing feature is its building system, inherited from the original Fortnite game. Players can harvest materials from the environment to construct walls, ramps, floors, and roofs for defense, traversal, or tactical advantage. This building mechanic is absent in the Zero Build mode, introduced in March 2022.
The game operates on a free-to-play model, supported by micro transactions allowing players to purchase V-Bucks, the in-game currency. V-Bucks can be used to acquire cosmetic enhancements such as outfits, pickaxes, gliders, and emotes. Each season, lasting about 2-3 months, introduces new cosmetic items through a Battle Pass system, which players can progress through by earning experience or completing in-game objectives. Additionally, Epic Games regularly updates Fortnite with new features, weapons, items, and vehicles, while also deploying hotfixes to address issues or adjust gameplay elements. Limited-time modes offer experimental gameplay experiences, while competitive modes like Arena cater to more serious players. The game continues to evolve with community feedback and Epic’s ongoing development efforts.
