The OG season in Fortnite is over, “Underground” is the new theme. And the break is tougher than you might think – at least, if you were just getting used to the “old” Fortnite, says MeinMMO author Max Handwerk.
A quite special month in the history of Fortnite has come to an end. The old map returned and brought more than just nostalgia. Of course, not everything was exactly as it used to be – but the familiar terrain and the reintroduction of beloved features exuded a charm that excited the Fortnite community quite a bit.
Just how much, Epic apparently didn’t expect either. At least, that’s what a post from December 2 on the official Fortnite channel on X.com indicates. It states:
We don’t want to lie, the OG season has far exceeded our expectations.
So much so that we want to bring it back … *opens 2024 roadmap doc*
Until then, see you in the Battle Bus
Fortnite on X.com
OG will return in 2024, which isn’t too surprising given some numbers. Among other things, Epic reported that players broke a monthly record during the OG season, with 100 million players in November (via X.com). At the start of the season, Fortnite also celebrated its “biggest day of all time”, with more than 44.7 million players (via X.com).
The look back to the past attracted true masses of players. Now Fortnite has to deliver to keep people engaged. Epic is currently trying to do this with a veritable truckload of new features – which, while cool, makes the jump to the new season quite abrupt.
What’s going on here all of a sudden?
For me, returning to the OG season was not just a nostalgia trip through familiar places, it also clearly showed how the gameplay has changed, more or less gradually, over the years. In the OG season, the pool of weapons, the map, and the classic vehicles created gameplay that could almost be described as “relaxing”.
You could land quite calmly, go loot hunting, and deal with weapons that rarely surprised you. On mountains, you were usually quite undisturbed and could see threats from a distance – even the old “Bush disguise” trick led to some success. Enemies rarely appeared “out of nowhere”, and of course, you knew the old map fairly well.
Now Fortnite has returned to its “normal form” and adds a whole truckload of new features on top of that. A few of them are:
- The completely new map, obviously
- New bosses and their henchmen with medallions that regenerate shields
- Fresh weapons like the ballistic shield and numerous firearms
- Weapon modifications that are completely new to Fortnite and shake up the loot pool
- The grappling blade, which pulls you toward the opponent
- A train that continuously runs over the island
- A new healing system that changes the familiar medkits and shields
- The vaults are back as well
- There are now match contracts
- Rocket League cars and other vehicles like the new “Trailsmasher” SUV
- A changed movement system with more parkour, although running speeds have actually been reduced in some cases, which can also be stressful
- New character animations
And, a particularly noticeable change for me: The storm is, at least in terms of feel, moving significantly faster. This, in conjunction with all the new features, creates a battle royale that suddenly plays quite differently than in the exception of the OG season.
Suddenly, you are constantly on the move, always at risk of being ambushed by the storm or enemies while still trying to get used to the changed movement. The new weapons are hard to assess, and it will take time to adjust to them.
If you have been following Fortnite for years, you are used to changes, and personally, I always find it very exciting when Fortnite reinvents itself. At the same time, the transition to the new season, especially compared to OG, is so pronounced that I initially thought: “What’s going on here all of a sudden?”
Imagine if someone had started with Fortnite two weeks ago and decided to check back today without catching the event. They would probably briefly wonder if this is really the same game.
What are your thoughts on the subject? Do you think the new season is strong and are you excited about new developments, or would you prefer OG back? Participate in our survey:
Fortnite seems to be going all-in with innovations in that regard: In the coming days, completely new aspects such as a new rocket racing mode and a Guitar Hero-like “Fortnite Festival” will also be introduced. Although they seem to take place separately from “Battle Royale”, it currently feels as if Fortnite is entering a new era.
The collaboration with Lego also seems to be growing: Here you will find everything about the Lego crossover in Fortnite, which starts this week.
