Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ethan thanks the driver of the time-travelling Battle Bus...
Back in 2018, a rallying cry echoed throughout the Nintendo Switch community. It was just three simple words, yet the phrase heralded the dawn of a major tide shift in the gaming space: “Where we droppin’?”
Fortnite isn’t just a game — it’s a pop culture sensation. Yet, times have changed since Epic Games’ 100-player battle royale launched on Switch years ago. The game has traded in iconic points of interest like Tilted Towers and Salty Springs for new vistas. Rather than a skin vaguely resembling John Wick in the most copyright-abiding way possible, John Wick is actually in the game — along with a ton of other pop culture staples ranging from My Hero Academia’s Deku to Geralt from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The loot pool has featured lightsabers from Star Wars, the Kamehameha from Dragon Ball, and Spider-Man’s web shooters.
Modern Fortnite is a hodge-podge of wacky mechanics and even wackier crossovers, to the point where some OG players — like our very own Jim — have no idea what to make of the game anymore. But while it may have become the video game equivalent of mixing every single soda from the burger shop drink dispenser, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Fortnite has managed to stay relevant for all this time because it constantly refreshes itself, tossing out the old in favor of shiny new features.
That’s what made it such a shock when, near the end of Chapter 4, Season 4, Epic Games announced that the new season of Fortnite would constitute an abbreviated return to several of the title’s original seasons, with the state of the game reverting back to how it was a mere month after its Switch launch.
the way that I perceive the game has shifted radically
Like many longtime players, I’ve had my peaks and valleys with Fortnite. I played the game to death during its 2018 heyday, only to fall off in the Chapter 2 era. Chapter 3 brought me back with all of its zany additions, and I’ve been playing regularly again ever since. While I’ve learned to embrace the chaos of the title’s ever-changing state, I’ll admit that I have longed to revisit those simpler days.
I was, therefore, thrilled by the news that the game would be temporarily returning to its original format, but a kernel of doubt flared within me. Was I only wishing for a return to early Fortnite due to rose-tinted sentiment? Could that old version even hold up today?
I’ve never been so happy to be wrong.
Fortnite OG isn’t just a nostalgic blast from the past, it’s simply a blast to play. Moreover, it has alerted me to something about the game I had long forgotten and something its modern iteration ostensibly tries its best to obscure: the fact that I’m playing a battle royale shooter — and a darn good one, at that.
Of course, Fortnite never stopped being a battle royale. As outside-the-box as they get, modern seasons of the game still hew to that classic last-player-standing loop. Nonetheless, the way that I perceive the game has shifted radically. When I drop into a match, I’m not thinking about the 99 players dropping elsewhere. I’m thinking about searching enough chests to find two keys in order to get a mythic SMG, or spending gold bars to reroll for the perfect ability augment, or infiltrating an NPC’s hideout in order to get one of the prized vaulted weapons. By the time I’ve geared up and gone through my usual routine, I’m shocked to find that I’ve made it down to the final few players without much thought.
There are far fewer distractions in Fortnite OG. For the first time in years, I feel like an actual survivalist pitted against a heaping Battle Bus-full of players vying for that coveted Victory Royale. Watching the number of remaining players tick down is nerve-wracking. The game’s weapon pool is far more reserved, turning the occasional find of a legendary gun into an event. The drop rate of healing items has been drastically reduced, making fights more intense than ever while simultaneously forcing me to scrounge around for Shield Potions like my life depends on it... because it does. Even the simple act of traversing the map is once again a tense affair, as a reduced amount of mobility items ensures that players need to be more aware of their positioning (and potential enemies) than ever.
By returning its gameplay to a more grounded and limited structure, Fortnite is once again encouraging a certain quality of strategy, creativity, and inventiveness from its players in terms of how to beat out the competition. I’ve noticed a profound uptick in playstyle variety since the season started, whether it’s seeing players actually build tall, intricate bases in the endgame or finding someone quietly hiding in a building’s bathroom — the first camper I’ve encountered in years.
The nail-biting fights, the hunt for loot, the grounded map — all of these are what make a battle royale for me, but they’re qualities I didn’t even realize I was missing with modern Fortnite. When I do well in Fortnite OG, it feels like I’m actually winning against the odds — and that’s what made the game’s original 99v1 format so compelling to me years ago. When things come down to the wire in a match’s endgame, I’m transported back to those early days with sweaty palms and shaky fingers as I desperately try to fire the winning shot at my opponent.
Fortnite is once again encouraging a certain quality of strategy, creativity, and inventiveness
So, what happens now? Fortnite can’t stay this way forever, nor is it going to. At the end of this month-long season, the game will carve out yet another new identity for itself, and there’s no guarantee that any of this special OG season is going to be a part of that future. At the very least, I hope that the game’s developers have noticed how a trip back to its roots has reinvigorated the community. As for me, even if I must once again leave the past behind, I’m content just having the chance to make some new memories with an old favorite.
My standout match of the season thus far ended with my friend and I pitted against a single other duo. I defeated one of our opponents, only to be knocked out by their teammate, leaving my buddy in a 1v1 face-off for the crown. The tension was so palpable in those final moments that both of us went non-verbal as he and the enemy stalked each other in a pit full of shipping containers. When the final shotgun blast rang out, we roared in defeat and cursed our loss, going over our strategy and what we could have done better. Of course, it didn’t take long for that commiseration to turn into determination.
“Next time, for sure. Wanna go again?”
“Where we droppin’?”
Comments 21
I haven’t played Fortnite for a long time, and don’t plan to. But it’s been amazing seeing, hearing my son and his friends get back in to it after many, many months away.
Removing 80% of QoL features and anything that made the game exciting and flaunting it as a new season is laughable. Add on a horrible BP and this is the first one I won't be finishing in 3 years. Epic fail, Epic.
This season really does tell me how many movement options we had for a while, and the weapons have more spread too, so if you get into a battle you have to commit to it, running away is not really a option lol and even if you do can you make up for the lost resources? Because healing and shields are much harder to find.
“ There are far fewer distractions “
There are far fewer things to do you mean. Oh and that was probably me camping out in the bathroom b/c there’s nothing else to do.🤷🏻♂️
I can imagine how it might make for a better co-op game focused on survival with a buddy rather than the dozens and dozens of quests but as someone with over 500 hours of solo play and 1 accidental match in duo, well basically what @DonkeyBrainKing said. Though I will finish it, level 50 shouldn’t be a problem even not playing on weekends.
I played briefly many years ago. In my mind it is a 'shoot people in the head' game. So I am always a little shocked when I see videos of dragon ball characters doing karaoke or whatever in Fortnite. I honestly don't know what the game currently is.
Also the map is pretty boring. Everything looks pretty much the same, regardless of where you are. It's fun as a throwback, but I'm glad it's only around for a month.
Couldn't agree more. I've thought about going back before but the sense of alienation I got from all the added mechanics and changed places stopped me. No more
I’m thoroughly enjoying Fortnite OG. Really get why people long for the old days. I started last year during Vibin myself and I don’t mind the new seasons but OG is great so far.
Nonetheless I’m excited for chapter 5 season 1 in 3 weeks.
The graphics look much better than the last season! I love this season!
I gave up on Fortnite years ago and nothing will make me go back, I will stick with Apex Legends which in my opinion is a much better Battle Royale game.
Its nice OG players are enjoying a trip down memory lane, but the current season looks and feels incredibly dated and is extremely boring. I'll return when it's over
I mostly play custom games with mates (sniper only and gun game being the best ones) but jumping into OG has been pretty good. Having ammo and meds harder to come by means you don't get 5 teams rushing in and it makes the game more interesting. I was never a fan of shooting someone and by the time you've run over, they've fully healed etc.
Fortnite just might be the ultimate crossover game...which is why I often wish it was in a different genre.
I still can't get over characters like Ryu using assault and sniper rifles...
I’ve been playing Fortnite consistently for almost four years now, and I’ve been loving this season. A return to simplicity is refreshing. But I am excited to return to the craziness of the modern game!
And we FINALLY have a good Battle Pass. Lol.
I sunk a good few hours into save the world mode but I am not really a big PVP guy. The gameplay loop of Fortnite BR is kinda too repetitive for me.
Players have been bemoaning 'wacky mechanics' ever since they added in planes way back in C1S7. I recall he backlash there was that you could just fly through people's builds which broke up the metagame.
At the time I thought so what? It's nice to have a leveller against players who are much better at building than I am.
And you know what? I miss all those new mechanics terribly. If Epic had just kept the core build mechanics for 5 years the game would have got old, quick. Things that mess with the metagame are there to keep you on your toes so that you have to adapt and find new ways to win, keeping the game exciting.
I for one cannot wait for planes to return next week and hopefully the mechs the week after.
Lol 2023 and still so many haters in the comments. Whatever, if you dont like fortnite I would think you could learn to not click on the articles at this point. I’m personally enjoying the new season quite a lot, it feels like a return to form without all the bloat of more recent seasons. To each their own though 🤷♀️
I only started playing since C3S2 when they introduced 'Zero Build' which is far more up my alley compared to the crap-fest of building random structures in game (ironic I know, considering it's what the games main IP is based around, but I dislike it), so it's interesting to see what came in earlier maps to see why so many lament over "OG Fornite" to what it's become.
I don't get it personally - the OG map is incredibly dated and cumbersome to get around, it's also not designed with "Zero Build" mode in mind which is what makes the emptiness all the more hilarious.
Personally, I roll with the evolutions and changes - it keeps the game feeling fresh and the traversal mechanics are what make the game feel like more than just a Battle Royale (and closer to a open form 3D platformer).
However, people love the OG stuff clearly, so I think it would be wise for EPIC to keep this map in as a throwback option (like Zero Build and Ranked modes are options) - then this would help keep the overall user base happy and coming back with the variety.
I still do enjoy some Fortnite, especially this new Fortnite OG season. The game was getting too far out in left field for me to enjoy what it was offering. I am having a much better time with it now, and I have been enjoying playing it both solo and with my brother in duos. I personally feel it is the most well rounded Battle Royale shooter out there, and I haven't had a similar experience with any of the others I have played. I just like that it is easier to get into, and doesn't turn into a sweat lobby type of game.
@DonkeyBrainKing dwag everyone wanted it back so what do you want a just it to be good they doing everything they trying to do to bring player
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