Although Fortnite was initially released as a defense shooter game where players protected themselves from zombies, the game would take a drastic shift September 26, 2017: Epic Games, the company that developed Fortnite, released a PvP battle royale mode for their game. In the battle royale mode, 100 randomized players compete as they collect resources and avoid the storm that encloses them. Even though Fortnite did not coin the concept of digitized characters fighting each other until one victor remained, it certainly popularized the battle royale concept, and its influence remains undeniable. As battle royale games such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) fade into obscurity, Fortnite demonstrates longevity and still receives attention in 2023.
Fortnite manages to draw in old and new members through a singular method of marketing: Epic Games consistently caters to its players. Old players of the popular PvP game have reminisced on battle royale’s first seasons and hoped that Fortnite would bring back the original map. In early November of this year, Epic Games announced that they would revive the Chapter 1 map and reinstall vaulted weapons and mechanics, which resulted in an increased player count like never before. Epic Games garnered over 44 million players November 4, resulting in the game’s most populated player count ever.
“The OG map was really fun. It was the most I have played since 2020 and I enjoyed it a lot. Peter Griffin in the game is funny. I don’t really care about it but I just find it funny [sic],” magnet senior Eldeer Patino said.
Epic Games also reels in players through collaborations with musicians and other prominent figures in pop culture. Before Epic Games launched their Chapter 5 map, they held the “Big Bang” event where a digitized version of Eminem performed popular songs as players participated in a Guitar Hero-esque minigame. The event also teased several other collaborations with popular franchises such as Fall Guys and Rocket League. Fortnite also unveiled a new game mode titled LEGO Fortnite, where classic characters will convert into LEGO minifigures and survive based on crafting mechanics.
Ever since Fortnite grew in popularity and countless people joined the battle royale, memes have coincided with the neverending trendiness of the game. People curated numerous memes where absurd characters would jump off the battle bus and reside on the PvP map. Fans jokingly asserted how Peter Griffin would fit into the landscape of Fortnite, and Epic Games finally added the “Family Guy” protagonist in early December 2023. Additionally, Epic Games has collaborated with prominent TV shows such as “Invincible” and “My Hero Academia.”
“The major comeback that Fortnite has been committed to for the past few weeks has not only brought back players but has generated more hype than it ever had before. With the countless new collaborations from Eminem to Peter Griffin, this game is one of the few games to have a big impact in the 2010s,” McEachern High School senior Brian Rodriguez said.
Due to Epic Games’ capabilities to work with unlikely franchises and to provide their longtime players with fan service, the company has successfully created a game that constantly keeps their players engaged. As Fortnite begins to implement music festivals that feature groundbreaking artists such as The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar, people interested in various entertainment industries will become enthralled by what the game plans for the future.
