- Fortnite Battle Royale was a completely different game when it was released in 2017. It was nothing compared to what we see today. Let’s take a look at how players were playing in the first Fortnite season.
Fortnite Battle Royale
Fortnite has become the biggest game in the world. Back in November of 2018, Forbes reported that Fortnite had 200 million players, which that number has only grown since then. If you go to Twitch and browse by game, Fortnite is typically is the top 3, holding the number one spot on most occasions. The game, on its low days, can have around 70,000 viewers on Twitch, which is quite amazing considering how many games come out every month. The game’s success is largely due to the introduction of Battle Royale back in 2017. Fortnite is responsible for making hundreds of successful streamers, and we’re certain that many of them have become “Fortnite Millionaires” due to their success.
Going over the Twitch metrics for the most followers on that platform, the Top 10 is filled with Fortnite players, with exception to a few gaming company accounts. It is safe to say that Fortnite will be here for a very long time, and considering how Epic Games keeps its user base happy with all of its updates, players won’t be leaving the game for something else anytime soon. However, Fortnite did have some fierce competition from Respawn Entertainment’s Apex Legends, which had 50 million players in its first month; a new record for any multiplayer game. Even Fortnite didn’t see those numbers in its first month.
Despite Apex Legends success in its first month, the game lost traction due to the lack of updates and fresh content in the game, as well as the lack of communication from Respawn Entertainment, and Fortnite continues to be the number one multiplayer game.
How Was Fortnite Like When It was First Released?
Watching Fortnite players today compared to when the game was first released is like night and day. However, most players nowadays either don’t remember how the game was like back when it was first released, or weren’t around for it. Today, Epic Games releases new content on a regular basis, brings new events to the game, and organizes esports events like the upcoming Fortnite World Cup. The game is on a completely different level then it was when it was first released, and that makes sense given how successful it is. Epic Games didn’t know if the battle royale mode would take off, so it would only make sense that the game didn’t get much attention in the beginning.
Today, players play the game differently than they played it back in 2017. Nowadays, we see new tips and tricks from players on a regular basis. There are tricks on how to glide better in the game, how to maneuver better, how to build better. But it wasn’t always like this, and one YouTuber by the name of HarryNinetyFour uploaded Fortnite Season 0 gameplay, which by any means looks completely ancient. Here’s the clip:
What has Changed from Fortnite 2017 To Fortnite Today?
In the video, you can see that there isn’t much going on. It seems very dull compared to what we’re used to seeing today. As Harry put it,
“This gameplay is from around the first week of when Fortnite Battle Royale was first released in September 2017. Before there were skins, seasons, vehicles, item shop etc.
The gameplay in this video is very slow and I was being very cautious as I think this was my first victory royale in the game. Everybody was playing like this though as it was a new thing! Nobody built like they do today.”
Harry is seen running around a map that isn’t populated with players. The scenery is plain and there’s really not much going on. Because the game was just released, you can see how players were moving cautiously around the map, trying to figure out what the battle royale game mode was all about. When Harry would start shooting at players, they didn’t even know they were getting shot at. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Many players were seen crawling, as not to give their whereabouts. It’s something we don’t see often now because of the amount of traffic in the game. Nowadays, when players start a match, it’s guaranteed that they will land with about 4 other players, so crawling won’t essentially do anything as everyone’s spider senses are up, and they are expecting to have a gun battle immediately.
Evolution of Fortnite
It’s quite normal for a game to evolve with time. Players adapt to the game mechanics and figure out strategies and gameplay that not even the developers would have considered. For example, here’s a clip of one of the best Fortnite players today, MrSavage:
Future of Fortnite
Fortnite will be around for a long time, and although pro players like TSM Myth have given a blueprint of building a better game than Fortnite, no one has been able to do so. Apex Legends came close, and it’s hard to gauge how the game will perform against Fortnite in the next year. Fortnite has a loyal base of users, and the game’s viewership on Twitch speaks volumes. Considering that Epic Games continues to provide new content and updates to the game, it’s unlikely any game can over-take its place any time soon. The only way Fortnite will die out is from title burnout; where players leave the game searching for something new.
But even that can be debated.
Connect with us