Fortnite
Fortnite
Is Kirby coming to Fortnite? Party Royale trailer gives new clues
Olivia Richman
Fortnite recently revealed their new Party Royale mode, which takes away the closing circle that makes rotation such an intense part of the original battle royale format. But it wasn’t the new mode that had people all over the internet talking about the trailer: it was the Kirby sighting. Kirby can first be seen at the start of the trailer, possibly dancing near the bottom of the screen where Epic …
Fortnite
TimTheTatman continues Fortnite controller debate with a big insult
Olivia Richman
Cross-platform play in Fortnite hasn’t united the gaming community like Epic thought it would. Instead, it started an ongoing debate with seemingly no end over keyboard and mouse versus controller players. The competitive community has been consistently divided on this topic, with many keyboard and mouse players claiming that they’re not only superior in their mechanics, but that Epic’s attempt to make controller players feel equal has backfired. Keyboard and …
Fortnite
Epic Games cancels Fortnite World Cup, announces new schedule
Olivia Richman
The 2019 Fortnite World Cup, Epic’s first major venture in competitive Fortnite, broke all kinds of viewership and prize money records last year. Kyle “Bugha” Giersdork’s $3 million first place finish was even discussed on late-night television. Unfortunately, this year’s World Cup has officially been canceled, according to the Fortnite Competitive Twitter account. Last month we said we would provide our evolving 2020 competitive roadmap. Today we wanted to provide updates …
Fortnite
Tfue says playing Fortnite is now unfair because of aim assist
Olivia Richman
It looks like Turner “Tfue” Tenney may be looking to switch to Valorant after getting fed up with how “unfair” his original game of choice has been lately. In a recent stream, Tfue started to get really frustrated after being eliminated by a “controller player with a fucking drum gun.” He immediately called Forntite “dog shit” before going into a longer rant on why the game that made him famous …
Fortnite
Myth frustrated with Fortnite’s lack of new content, communication
Olivia Richman
Team SoloMid’s Ali “Myth” Kabbani is back with another Fortnite rant. It doesn’t seem like Fortnite pro Myth is too excited with the way Fortnite is going or with how Epic handles updates and communication with their playerbase. On a podcast hosted by Mizkif, Myth decided to open up about all his frustrations with the popular battle royale. When someone asked if Myth liked playing the same game every day, …
Fortnite
Breaking down Ninja’s net worth in 2020
Olivia Richman
Fortnite personality Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is one of the most popular and successful streamers in the world. He had the most followers on Twitch and broke multiple records before announcing a move to Mixer last year. But what does all of that amount to money-wise? According to Esportspedia, Ninja has an estimated net worth of $10 million. Only in recent years have people been able to make a living streaming …
Fortnite
Fortnite pro Bugha calls controller aim assist “hacking”
Olivia Richman
Ever since Epic Games introduced cross-platform play to Fortnite, the community has been debating if keyboard and mouse players should be competing against controller players. At first, this was because controller players were at a severe disadvantage, thanks to the keyboard and mouse’s superior accuracy and movement capabilities. But when Epic Games added aim assist for controller players, allowing them to more easily track targets, PC players began to feel …
News
FaZe Clan indefinitely suspends Dubs after racial slur on stream
Steven Rondina
Daniel “Dubs” Walsh has landed himself in hot water. The Fortnite esports competitor has been suspended by FaZe Clan for using racist language. The moment came during another streamer’s broadcast, but was quickly clipped and spread across social media. During a firefight, Dubs clearly uses a racial epithet with an extended pause between the two. From there, his teammate shouts “yo, I’m streaming, I’m streaming.” A long, awkward pause follows …
Ninja and Nickmercs clash over Fortnite’s mouse vs. keyboard debate
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins called console players “trash” and apparently Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff didn’t take kindly to that. Keyboard and mouse have an advantage over console controllers thanks to their larger range of motion and higher sensitivity. Like many other developers, Epic attempted to balance the two by putting aim assist on controllers, allowing them to track their opponents more easily. This is something Ninja called “broken” in his recent stream. …
Dr Disrespect gets a challenge from WWE’s Undertaker
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Twitch personality Herschel “Dr Disrespect” Beahm IV’s charisma and gaming skill have combined to make his character’s history and lore fascintating enough to garner him a television show and memoir deals. But now Dr Disrespect’s timeline getting even jucier. In a recent stream, fans were on the edge of their seats when Dr Disrespect’s seemingly innocent stroll was interrupted by a message telling him to pick up. His followers frantically …
Ninja lashes out in a big way at Fortnite Season 2 “haters”
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is coming to Epic’s aid once again and defending Fortnite against “haters.” Fortnite’s Chapter 2 Season 1 was the longest lasting season in the battle royal’s history, with Season 2 being postponed multiple times. Many players found themselves getting impatient, their imaginations souring and expectations rising. Of course, fans were hoping for a lot after the delay. After streaming Season 2 for his Mixer followers for a …
Study reveals which Twitch streamers earn the most money from subs
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
With Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Mike “shroud” Grzesiek both on Mixer, other popular streamers have taken over Twitch. One study by Little Loans showed just how much money the top Twitch streamers are earning from their subscribers. While streamers also earn money from sponsors, deals, and advertisements, their subscriber count is often their largest source of income. Subscribers pay streamers monthly for a variety of exclusive perks, and often just to …
Ninja rages against Fortnite Chapter 2 meta, bashes unvaulted guns
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Fortnite streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins was quick to compliment Epic Games on their battle royal’s long-awaited Chapter 2. But after only a few days, Ninja seems to have some strong negative opinions about the game’s emerging meta. Weapons like the Minigun and Rapid Fire SMG were unvaulted for Chapter 2 and while some players were excited, it seems that Ninja isn’t a big fan of the new playstyle that’s formed …
MrSavage wins $250,000 DreamHack Anaheim Fortnite tournament
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Popular Fortnite pro Martin “MrSavage” Foss Andersen won DreamHack Anaheim’s Fortnite tournament this weekend. MrSavage won $30,000 of the $250,000 prize pool, leaving the remaining amount to be split between the 99 runners-up. Second place went to Ghost Gaming’s Timothy “Bizzle” Miller, while nanolite took third place. “I’m just really happy all my hard work has paid off. I’ve been playing a lot over the past year trying to really …
Dr Disrespect signs book deal, will reveal secrets behind character
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Twitch personality Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm IV just scored a book deal. The Two-Time’s over-the-top character may have gotten him in trouble in the past, like when he got a little too TMI at E3, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most popular streamers in the world. A lot of fans have been curious about where the idea for Dr Disrespect came from and what sort of …
Every weapon and item unvaulted in Fortnite Chapter 2
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
After much anticipation and many delays, Fortnite’s Season 2 Chapter 2 has finally arrived. The new chapter has come with a secret spy theme, introducing fans to two factions: Ghost and Shadow. If you’ve ever wanted to see Peely in a James Bond suit, now is your chance. “Top Secret” also introduces new characters and skins to the battle royale, including a super jacked calico cat and a dorky walking …
Fortnite might be getting a public testing server in Season 2
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
A new game option in the Epic Games launcher is hinting at the possibility of a public testing server coming to Fortnite in Season 2. Fans have been disappointed in the lack of updates in the popular battle royale since Chapter 2 was released in October last year. Players have also criticized Epic Games for not providing full patch notes whenever an update was finally announced. So far, developers have …
Pokimane donates $50,000 to UCI’s esports program, scholarships
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Streaming personality Imane “Pokimane” Anys has donated $50,000 to the University of California’s esports program. According to a recent tweet from Pokimane, she’s created the Pokimane Scholarship and is now sponsoring four scholars. The money will create an endowment that will fund tuition and fees for gamers selected by UCI Esports. “I remember being 20k+ in debt while juggling streaming and university, and am so lucky to be where I …
Esports Arena launches Series E League with Fortnite and Smash
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Esports Arena recently launched Esports Arena Series E, a semi-professional league that will debut in May. Featuring Fortnite and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the league will be located in 18 Walmart Supercenters around the United States. This includes 11 new in-store arenas that will be opening in April with the support of Microsoft Xbox. According to Esports Arena CEO Tyler Endres, Series E is the “next step” in their goal …
Fortnite update 11.50: new engine, Valentine’s Day, and bad bugs
Olivia Richman
Fortnite
Fortnite’s latest patch is already causing controversy. Fortnite players areup in arms after seeing Twitter user Jahlynz’s in-game discovery. According to their tweet from earlier today, “you can walk through fully built walls if you phase them for long enough.” The disgruntled player included a video of the game-breaking bug, seemingly taken from a casual session with friends. In the video, his friends howl in amusement as Jahlynz continuously walks …
Fortnite has come a long way over the course of the game’s lifespan. What began as an upstart early-access title with base-building mechanics would eventually transform into the world’s most popular and lucrative video game, capturing the attention of millions upon millions of players across the world and entering into the mainstream cultural lexicon.
But how exactly did that happen? How did one of many games released by developer Epic Games manage to transform in real-time into something with such potential, and to what extent did Fortnite really grow? The answers are indicative of what it takes for a game to go from new and struggling to becoming a global phenomenon.
The original vision for Fortnite was very different compared to the game that is so widely popular today. Developers at Epic Games intended to create a game that would merge base-building mechanics with the popular shooting gameplay that the company was best known for, from its experience releasing such titles those found in the Unreal Tournament and Gears of War franchises.
While that vision was altered even prior to Fortnite’s initial release, with a darker creative look becoming brighter and more reminiscent of children’s cartoons, the first release of Fortnite did feature that original focus. Titled Fortnite: Saves the World, this was a paid early-access release that met moderate fanfare and player enthusiasm.
A follow-up release would do far better. That follow-up was Fortnite Battle Royale, a free-to-play version of the game that featured the core mechanics and experience players most associate with the Fortnite name today. The battle royale game mode, thrown together in just a couple of months by developers, was at the time a relatively new concept. A multitude of players would be dropped onto one map to do battle with each other, accruing resources and weaponry in an open-world environment to better equip themselves for combat. Eventually, the game’s playable map size would shrink over time, forcing players to engage with each other until only one winning player was left standing.
It’s a simple concept, but in 2017 it was fresh and new. Players quickly flocked to try this early battle royale game, and within weeks of its free-to-play release, Fortnite Battle Royale was playing host to millions of players.
First and foremost, the success of Fortnite can be seen in the extreme revenue numbers generated by the game for maker Epic Games. Just a few short years after its release, Fortnite had already led to billions of dollars in revenue for Epic. This success was enough to send reverberations throughout the entire video game industry. Dozens of clones would follow, trying to recapture the battle royale magic that Fortnite had so successfully crystallized, but it proved difficult for most.
Money wasn’t the only marker of the game’s ascendance, however. Fortnite broached popular mainstream culture in a way that few video games ever have. Popular streamer and former Halo pro Tyler “Ninja” Blevins was at the fore of this wave of popularity, co-streaming with rap superstar Drake and appearing on numerous television talk shows to discuss the game and the craze surrounding it. Popular musicians beyond Drake also got involved with the game, as Travis Scott and Marshmello hosted live, in-game concerts to both popular and critical acclaim.
The Fortnite World Cup raised the game’s profile even further in some circles. Held at the famous Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, the event awarded $3 million to 16-year-old phenom Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, who then found himself paraded through mainstream media circles just as Ninja had been before him.
While its apex may have come and gone, Fortnite remains one of the most popular and successful games in the world today, continuing to play host to many millions of players while generating major revenues for Epic Games.
