Fortnite: A brief history of how the 100-man Battle Royale took over the world

Fortnite, perhaps the most popular game globally, took the world by storm when it initially came out as a Battle Royale title. Earlier, it was only available in a specific Save The World mode, which was more player vs environment. The introduction of Battle Royale changed everything.

Although it didn't happen in a day, Fortnite was a dream which took almost seven years to build, as the developers, Epic Games, were working on a new game engine, Unreal Engine 4.

Forttnite is developed by Epic Games

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The humble beginning of Fortnite

During its early days, Epic's biggest competition was Minecraft, another building game that had already conquered the world with its immense popularity.

Fortnite has changed my life!Started playing during pre season 1 in September 2017 & have truly enjoyed watching the game evolve & growHere's to many more epic gaming moments 🥳 #FortniteBirthdayBash pic.twitter.com/BpkWvFB1FY

— ProHenis (@ProHenis) September 26, 2020

Fortnite initially was similar to the current Save The World version, and players had to build to protect themselves from Husks.

I don’t think any game will ever beat 2017 Fortnite

— Formula (@Formula) September 24, 2020

However, the introduction of BR dynamics added a competitive edge to the game. This is where it started to pop off in a massive way, and the 100-man lobby then became an instant fan-favorite.

I was about to say a little late, I've grown used to the birthday events in August, then I thought about it, and Fortnite WAS released on September 26th, 2017. They got it right for once, Congrats! https://t.co/OeX0UdNbI7

— FrogsGoYete (@FrogsGoYete) September 25, 2020

Nevertheless, Epic had bigger plans. The infusion of building mechanics with BR dynamic attracted players from all around the world.

In general, even if players didn't play, they enjoyed watching the game. That was the foundation on which Fortnite: Battle Royale was built.

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Fortnite: Battle Royale craze taking over popular culture

In recent times, it has evolved into much more of a platform than a video game. As Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney stated in several tweets and speeches, the idea is to have Fortnite as a perpetual game.

Another argument against supporting #FreeFortnite is "this is just a billion dollar company fighting a trillion dollar company about money". But the fight isn't over Epic wanting a special deal, it's about the basic freedoms of all consumers and developers.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 14, 2020

A link between the fictional universe and reality is Epic's master plan to make Fortnite the most excellent game in the world.

Getting back to the beginning, the initial reaction of players across the world to the BR mode was all positive. A crisp building system like Minecraft, shooter perspective like other popular games, colorful and fun like none other, all these elements made Fortnite enjoyable.

Today, players even get to fight and dress up as their favorite superhero icons from childhood in Fortnite.

Jump into @rocketleague now to earn awesome rewards for both Rocket League and Fortnite as part of the Llama-Rama Event! Earn a Back Bling, Contrail and more.More info here: https://t.co/D7eT2flCW6 pic.twitter.com/Bg2rC5SZzP

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) September 26, 2020

This unprecedented evolution of Fortnite has captivated the community in more ways than one. The game has branched off into different versions, including the hugely-successful Party Royale. Similarly, several other collaborations, including other games like Rocket League, have brought forth results.

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Eliminating all competition

Fortnite is now one of the most-viewed games on Twitch. The developers have also introduced the concept of live events, where eminent artists, rappers, and musicians collaborate to put up a show on the map.

In 2017, when the BR genre was popping off, Fortnite decided to go toe-to-toe with PUBG. This move marked the beginning of the change for Fortnite.

It was also aided by the fact that PUBG was not free to play, but Fortnite was. Only with the addition of variant graphics, the game didn't aim to mimic reality; instead, it carefully crafted its own existence.

The war to save Reality starts now. The Lore, Legends, Heroes and Villains from @Marvel have arrived in Fortnite. Join the fight and take on Galactus to save all of Reality. #FortniteNexusWar pic.twitter.com/VG2Hr3MI2D

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 27, 2020

Ever since, the game has become a cultural phenomenon, overtaking PUBG by February 2018 with its concurrent Twitch views.

Indeed, Fortnite was not only setting up a game but also popularizing a platform like Twitch. This vision from Epic has now blossomed into a spectacle that cannot be compared with other BR games.