Fortnite had to get rid of all the crossovers to find some fun

Know Fortnite is an absolute fever dream experience and the mishmash of various media that create it. The current season, Chapter 5 Season 3, takes war vehicles that look straight out of a Mad Max movie, combines them with items from the Fallout games, and then adds a weighty dose of inspiration from the band Metallica, of all things.

Battle Royale mode for so long Fortnite turned out to be a bottomless pit that brought significant changes to the gameplay. Developers took the building and then brought it back. Last fall they converted the map back to a classic version (called Fortnite OG) and then literally blew it up and released a modern map. Only for the last six months you have been able to play the role of Greek gods or wield elemental powers Avatar: The Last Airbender. Apparently no addition can be too substantial or over the top Fortnite. The appeal of this game is at least partly due to the sheer absurdity and over-the-topness of it all. But now the modern Reload mode, which launched on June 22, is one substantial step towards this way of thinking.

Instead of resorting to gimmicks, Reload strips the game of all the fancy gimmicks and speeds up the gameplay elements of classic Fortnite Battle Royale. Instead of 100 people, each lobby is 40 people, and the mode features a condensed map and faster gliding that speeds up the game significantly. The developers have littered the map with crates, so players can get up and fight in no time. Last but not least, Reload adds a feature where players automatically respawn earlier in the game as long as one of their teammates is still alive. So now you don’t have to wait for your teammates to respawn you, and your average time spent playing is significantly longer.

From the outside it seems like a way to appeal to gamers who just want a good ancient classic battle royale shooter with fewer of the extras that come with each season. Players don’t have to worry about anyone escaping the Metallica-inspired Ride the Lightning item – which allows players to traverse the map in seconds – or play with any players focused on pulverizing enemies from the relative safety of a tricked-out Mad Max-style combat vehicle. Most of your time in Reload revolves around looting, maintaining your health, and then – of course – fighting as your competitors constantly respawn. Online communities that form an dynamic part of the competitive community have already expressed their appreciation for this mode.

Creators in the back Fortnite in 2024 they will find themselves in a forceful but tense situation. According to Newzoo, a company specializing in video game data, Fortnite had the highest number of monthly gaming users PC and console in May. In interview with The VergeEpic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said the company doesn’t just want to “maintain” its 70 million monthly dynamic users, but also continue to “grow by welcoming creators, introducing new genres of games, and new ways to engage them beyond the Battle Royale experience.”

As it gains more users, the game development team must continue to attract the attention of more and more players. On a daily basis, I will play this game both with other players who want to climb the ladder and with my 10-year-old cousins ​​who may struggle with basic aiming and control skills.

Image: Epic Games

The developers need to find a way to attract all these players, and Reload gives us a window into what strategy they are pursuing. Instead of trying to cram all players into a single Battle Royale square, Fortnite will continue to offer various game modes. We have already seen this to some extent as Epic Games has released different types of games on Fortnite launcher like the Fortnite Festival rhythm game or the kid-friendly Lego series. Now, a similar move has been made for the main Battle Royale mode.

Currently, players can choose between the regular Battle Royale Build mode, the Zero Build mode, and the Build and Zero Build modes within Reload. This provides modern options for those frustrated with the current season, and it seems to have paid off. The modern mode attracted over 1 million players the weekend it launched, and has maintained a steady player base ever since. For now, going back to basics seems to be working.