If you've ever heard of the "Hunger Games," then you're familiar with the concept of a battle royale; grab some gear and fight until there's no one left. For years now, battle royale games have been taking PC gaming by storm, but Fortnite by Epic Games is the first to launch its way into the eyes of popular culture. So what is it that separates Fortnite from its competitors?
Before Fortnite came around, most of the gaming world thought another game, Playerunknown's "Battlegrounds (PUBG), would reign supreme in the battle royale genre. However, there are some major differences between the two games that boost Fortnite's mainstream appeal. First of all, Fortnite is completely free. Even though PUBG costs far less than standard AAA games at $30, that's still a steep price to pay for an exclusively multiplayer experience.
Each game also has distinct styles that appeal to different audiences. For example, Fortnite's map is also significantly smaller than that of PUBG. While at first that might sound like a downside, the result is that sticking to a single spot on the map is discouraged and matches become a lot more fast-paced. Plenty of people prefer the camping play style that PUBG offers, but quicker matches have always attracted the masses; Fortnite is the Call of Duty to PUBG's Battlefield.
Another major attraction to Fortnite is its learning curve. The gunplay is generally seen as more simple compared to that in PUBG, but Fortnite has a unique building mechanic that allows players to forge makeshift cover when caught by an enemy. As a result, casual players are drawn to the game's easy-to-learn core gameplay, while the hardcore audience is drawn in by the unique ways they can use buildings to gain an edge.
PUBG also fumbled their golden egg by adding microtransactions into the base games. PC gamers in particular have been annoyed by their antics, especially considering the fact that the game was in early access when this change went through. So, when a viable alternative came along, plenty of players who were on the fence flocked straight to it.
Perhaps the most important factor behind Fortnite's popularity is the fact that it's one of the first battle royale offerings to invade the console gaming world. The United States is relatively unique compared to the rest of the world in that a majority of our gamers play through consoles instead of computers. PUBG may have been making waves in the PC world, but Fortnite was the first to tap into the American console-based audience.
Both games are powerhouses in their own right, but Fortnite's growth in the past five months has been astonishing to watch. Hopefully each game can fulfill their respective niches in the gaming community.
