What Is Fortnite?

What Is Fortnite?
Images: Epic Games

Written by 

Coleman Hamstead

Published 

23rd Sep 2021 14:57

What is Fortnite? Fortnite has evolved into an online phenomenon that has left many people curious as to what the hype is all about. Whether you’re a gamer or not, everyone should know the answer to the question, “what is Fortnite?”

What Is Fortnite?

Almost everyone has heard of Fortnite, but what is Fortnite exactly? Fortnite is an online video game developed by Epic Games. Each day millions of players across various platforms hop into the world of Fortnite to participate in some of its many game modes. 

Fortnite has something for everyone. Whether you want to battle it out online vs. other players, hang out and socialize in a casual environment, or get creative and let your imagination unfold in a sandbox mode, Fortnite has it all.

Fortnite has evolved into much more than just a video game. Fortnite is an experience.

What Is Fortnite? Fortnite Game Modes Explained

Battle Royale

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Battle Royale is the classic game mode that Fortnite is known for. If you ask a Fortnite player “what is Fortnite?,” they will probably describe to you the Battle Royale mode.

Imagine the Hunger Games in video game form - that is Battle Royale. A group of 100 players drop down on an island and fight to be the last one standing. Players begin the match with nothing and must collect weapons and resources to survive and outlast the enemy players.

Fortnite players can play Battle Royale solo, with a single partner, or with a squad of three or four.

Creative

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Creative mode allows Fortnite players to unleash their imagination and bring their ideas to life. Creative mode gives players an empty island and all the resources in the world to make it their own. Players can create their own game modes and rules as well, leading to endless possibilities. Fortnite players can then share their creations publicly or privately with their friends. Some of the common Fortnite Creative maps and game modes found in Creative include hide and seek, escape rooms, and racing levels.

The base game modes of Fortnite may get old one day, but Creative mode will allow Fortnite to thrive for years to come.

Party Royale

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Party Royale is where Fortnite players go when they just want to hang out and socialize. In this Fortnite game mode, fighting is prohibited. Instead, players can participate in mini-games such as aerial obstacle courses and boat races. Occasionally Fortnite will schedule movie watch parties and live concerts from top artists to be held in Party Royale. The Fortnite Ariana Grande Rift Tour is an example of the kind of musical talent Fortnite pulls in for these live in-game concerts.

Party Royale is a great place to mess around and chill with friends away from the more intense Battle Royale mode.

Save The World

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While most of the other Fortnite game modes pit players against each other, Save the World is a cooperative experience where players team up to take on zombie-like creatures. Fortnite players must build elaborate bases out of Wood, Brick, and Metal capable of withstanding hordes of monsters. Players can design their bases however they like and equip them with traps to keep monsters out.

What Is Fortnite? How To Play Fortnite?

Currently, Fortnite and the game modes of Battle Royale, Party Royale, and Creative are available to download on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and the Epic Games App on Android. Fortnite’s Save the World mode is only available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Fortnite is not currently available on iOS, Mac, and Google Play due to an ongoing legal battle between Fortnite’s developer, Epic Games, and Apple.

Fortnite features crossplay, meaning that players on different platforms can group up and play together. For example, someone on the PlayStation 4 can easily party up and play with their friend on the Nintendo Switch.

Simply download Fortnite on the platform of your choosing and jump into the action.

What Is Fortnite? How Much Does Fortnite Cost?

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Outside of Save the World mode, Fortnite is entirely free-to-play. Those looking to play the Save the World mode will have to cough up $15.99 USD or sign-up for a Fortnite Crew subscription.

Fortnite makes the majority of its money through in-game microtransactions. While it’s entirely possible to play Fortnite for free, players can style their characters in different outfits and other cosmetics. While there are a select few free Fortnite skins, the majority of these special cosmetic items come at a price. 

Fortnite’s in-game currency is called V-Bucks. V-Bucks are sold in the following increments:

  • 1,000 V-Bucks = £6.49/$7.99
  • 2,800 V-Bucks = £15.99/$19.99
  • 5,000 V-Bucks = £25.99/$31.99
  • 13,500 V-Bucks = £64.99/$79.99

The Fortnite Battle Pass costs 950 V-Bucks with high-end outfits/skins priced at 2,000 V-Bucks. 

So basically, Fortnite is free-to-play but you’ll need to spend some cash if you want to look cool and show off in the different game modes.

What Is Fortnite? Is Fortnite Ok For Kids? What Parents Need To Know

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So how old do you have to be to play Fortnite? Fortnite has been rated “T” for violence by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. This means that the game is generally suited for ages 13 and up. Fortnite does not include any strong language or even blood, but earned the “T” rating for “scenes involving aggressive conflict.”

For the most part, Fortnite is perfectly fine for kids. The violence depicted in Fortnite is cartoon-like. There’s no blood, dismemberment, and no one actually dies. When a Fortnite player eliminates another, the eliminated player is simply teleported back to the lobby by a drone. Fortnite does equip players with real-life looking guns, but the violence depicted is about as mild as it gets.

For parents that want a bit of control over their child’s Fortnite experience, the game comes equipped with a plethora of parental controls. Parents can manage their child’s Fortnite experience with options for communication, privacy, and playtime tracking. Online interactions in video games are a real concern, so parents may want to consider limiting who their child can communicate with on Fortnite as a protective measure.

You now know the basics of the online sensation known as Fortnite. Find all of our Fortnite guides below and stay tuned here at GGRecon for Fortnite news, guides, features, and more.

Fortnite rarest skins | Fortnite rarest emotes | Fortnite 2FA | How many Fortnite skins are there | Old Fortnite map | Fortnite skill based matchmaking | How to see how much money you spent on Fortnite | Fortnite Icon Series skins | Fortnite player count | Fortnite Superman skin | Fortnite Spider-Man skin | How to win Fortnite matches | How to earn gold bars in Fortnite | Fortnite building techniques | How to go pro in Fortnite | How to tame animals in Fortnite

 

Coleman Hamstead
About the author
Coleman Hamstead
Coleman is a freelance journalist at GGRecon. While gaming has always been his passion, it wasn’t until he worked as a Sports Journalist at the Community College of Baltimore County that he found his enthusiasm for writing. In the time since Coleman has had his work featured in publications such as The Washington Post/Launcher and ESTNN. Coleman is a graduate of Towson University with a degree in Sport Management and Business Administration.
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