Fortnite
Fortnite
$245 million Fortnite FTC fine finalized
Nicholas James
The Federal Trade commission has locked in a $245 million settlement from Epic Games, here’s what you need to know about the Fortnite FTC fine. It was announced in December of 2022 that the FTC was fining Fortnite over $500 million for two separate complaints with developer and publisher Epic Games’ conduct. $275 million over COPPA, Childrens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, violations, and another $245 million for the use of …
Fortnite
The best new Augments in Fortnite Chapter 4
Nicholas James
Fortnite’s new season has brought new weapons, locations, and perhaps most importantly, new Augments, here are the best Augments in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 2. Fortnite’s new season has brought a new list of Augments, which will be expanded as the season progresses. Some are returning from Season One, others are brand new to the game for Season Two. If you’re looking for exactly which Augments will serve you best …
Fortnite
The 3 best Fortnite weapons in Chapter 4 Season 2
Nicholas James
A new season of Fortnite has arrived, and there are tons of new to use, here are the three best Fortnite weapons in Chapter 4, Season 2. Epic Games loves to bring sweeping changes to its flagship battle royale game. This means tons of new weapons at the start of every season. The new Japanese cyberpunk-inspired Fortnite MEGA is no exception. Epic Games is bringing tons of new weapons to …
Fortnite
How to dominate with the Kinetic Blade katana
Nicholas James
The new Fortnite season, Fortnite MEGA, has arrived, and the Kinetic Blade katana is changing the landscape of the game. Here’s how to destroy your enemies using it. The Kinetic Blade katana is a wildly powerful new item added to Fortnite in Chapter 4 Season 2. The Kinetic Blade is a melee weapon with two modes of attack, the Knockback Slash and the Dash Attack. Just like the Shockwave Hammer …
Fortnite
Fortnite FPS mode is ready to drop
William Davis
The Fortnite FPS mode is dropping soon. Reliable sources have confirmed that this new mode is ready for shipping. Fortnite rise to popularity in 2017 with its innovative and fun gameplay. The game catapulted celebrities to stardom and had a thriving competitive scene with prize pools never seen before. While the hype has somewhat died down, the game remains as popular as ever. In 2023, it seems like Fortnite is …
Fortnite
How to unlock the Fortnite Creed skin and free rewards
Nicholas James
Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 1 is nearly at an end, and Epic Games is going for the knockout blow with a Fortnite Creed collaboration. Here’s how to get the skin and free rewards. Fortnite seems to be collaborating with every media property on the face of the earth. The battle royale is coming fresh off of Dragon Ball and My Hero Academia tie-ins with cosmetics from hit Rocky spinoff series …
Fortnite
What is new in Fortnite patch v23.50?
William Davis
Fortnite is implementing major improvements to Creative and Save the World with changes dropping in patch V23.50. In case you didn’t know, Fortnite is more than building, staying within the circle, and emoting on your dead enemies. The game has two additional modes for players to explore, Fortnite Creative and Fortnite Save the World. While these are not as popular as Battle Royale, these allow players to explore the Fortnite …
Fortnite
Attack on Titan Fortnite skins leaked in next Battle Pass
Nicholas James
Details about the Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 2 Battle Pass have been allegedly leaked online, and Attack on Titan Fortnite skins seem to be coming. Fortnite has an incredible number of tie-ins with other media properties, from television shows to movies to other video games to some of the most popular anime in the world. It seems that the next season is going to include yet another incredibly popular anime …
The best Exotic weapons in Fortnite Most Wanted
Nicholas James
Fortnite
The Fortnite Most Wanted event has completely changed how Fortnite is played since it began, here are the best Exotic weapons during the event. The Cold-Blooded Syndicate has hit Fortnite’s island, and they’ve set up vaults protected by bosses and mooks filled with huge rewards. As a part of this event, several new Heisted Exotic weapons have been introduced. Here are the Heisted exotic weapons that have impressed us the …
Fortnite Most Wanted event brings tons of content
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Fortnite’s Most Wanted event has hit live servers, and it’s bringing with it tons of new cosmetics, items, augments, and things to do on the Fortnite map. The Fortnite Most Wanted event is a new heist-themed event happening in Fortnite during Chapter Four Season One. The event is bringing a free battle pass, tons of new exotic weapons, and several unvaulted items from Fortnite’s past. If you’re looking for a …
Epic Games just released an official Fortnite clips app
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Looking for ways to share your best Victory Royales, amazing build speed, or Deku Smash kills? Epic Games just released an official Fortnite clips app called Postparty. This app is tailor-made to let Fortnite players publish their best clips on social media. This seems to be an excellent addition to Fortnite’s presence, making it easier for impressive clips to be shared online. The official Fortnite clips apps can be connected …
Do you qualify for the $245 million Fortnite refund?
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Epic Games is being forced to pay Fortnite players $245 million USD after a ruling from the Federal Trade Commission said the Fortnite developer had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Are you entitled to any of it? Fortnite is one of the biggest games in the world and has become a massive source of revenue for developer Epic Games. With oodles of pop culture tie-ins and collaborations, Fortnite …
Isaac Clarke Fortnite skin gets you V-Bucks, here’s how
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Fortnite is full of skins of characters from other intellectual properties, and Dead Space is the latest video game to join. Here’s how to unlock the Isaac Clarke Fortnite skin. The Isaac Clarke Fortnite skin is a bit unique compared to other skin packs in that it actually helps refund you the V-Bucks spent on purchasing it. Unlike some other skins that are available through the Battle Pass but require …
How to unlock the Geralt Fortnite skin from The Witcher
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Geralt of Rivia is making his way into Fortnite as a part of Chapter Four, so here’s how to unlock the Geralt Fortnite skin. Fortnite is comfortably the AAA game with the most external licensing instances. It’s filled to the brim with characters from different intellectual properties that would never before have been seen together. Nowhere else will you find Master Chief, Goku, and Indiana Jones fighting Doom Guy and …
The best places to drop in Fortnite Chapter 4
Nicholas James
Fortnite
If you’re looking for new places to land in the new Fortnite season, here are the best places to drop in Fortnite Chapter 4. The new Fortnite chapter has brought with it an entirely new map with new locations. This means that players have had to find new favorite spots to start the game. From secluded secret treasures that most enemies avoid to the best named locations to scrap it …
Is a Fortnite FPS mode in the works?
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Rumors are circulating that Epic Games is looking at a Fortnite FPS mode, bringing Fortnite into the first-person shooter genre. Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world, outlasting many of its battle royale siblings, as a consistently third-person affair. Recent suggestions from data miners and leakers have suggested that Epic Games is preparing the groundwork to shift the game fundamentally. According to them, Epic Games …
Dragon Ball Super Fortnite event adds Gohan and Piccolo
Nicholas James
Fortnite
A new Dragon Ball Super Fortnite event has been announced, coming on January 31, 2023. The Dragon Ball series has already collaborated with Fortnite before, with an event in 2022 bringing several iconic characters and items from the show to the battle royale. It seems that the first event went swimmingly, as Fortnite’s developer Epic Games has been teasing another Dragon Ball-themed collaboration. According to a posting on Twitter, the …
Where to find the Guardian Shield in Fortnite and how to use it
Nicholas James
Fortnite
The Guardian Shield is a brand-new item that’s been added to Fortnite Chapter Four, here’s how to find it and the best way to use it. Fortnite Chapter Four has brought a totally new island to the battle royale, including tons of new locations, characters, items, weapons, and more. As always, Fortnite consistently updates its inventory of items with old items that are unvaulted as well as brand-new additions that …
How to get better FPS and ping in Fortnite
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Fortnite is a versatile game able to run on a variety of systems. But if your PC is underperforming, here’s how to get better FPS and ping in Fortnite. Despite being a relatively well-optimized game able to run on a variety of gaming consoles and platforms, sometimes Fortnite can run into technical issues with frames and ping. If you’re looking for solutions to either issue, we’re here to help things …
Epic Games has to pay the FTC $520 million over Fortnite
Nicholas James
Fortnite
Epic Games is being made to pay the United States Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, $520 million over anti-consumer complaints about Fortnite. Fortnite is one of the most popular games in the world, maintaining a multi-year presence in the gaming space as one of its juggernauts. However, one of the United States’ largest regulatory bodies has found developer Epic Games guilty of massive anti-consumer action, specifically relating to compliance with …
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.
