Fortnite would have almost died 3 times since its release, if Epic Games hadn’t acted correctly. What a crazy story lies behind the battle royale shooter, you can find out here on MeinMMO.
Fortnite has a long history that not every player knows. Many precarious situations forced Epic Games to create Fortnite with its battle royale as many thousands of players know it today.
We take a closer look at these situations and show you how Epic managed to prevent so many deaths of Fortnite.
First Death – The PvE Mode Save the World
The end shortly after the beginning: Those who have accompanied Fortnite from the beginning probably know the PvE mode “Save the World“. This mode was supposed to carry the game after the release and generate revenue, but that was not the case.
After about 7 years of development, Epic Games missed the hype around zombies and the survival battles in the horde mode, and so the game seemed to disappear again – for now.
A makeshift solution was needed so that Fortnite wouldn’t be permanently shelved, and so the battle royale mode came into play. This was built in less than 10 weeks and integrated for free into the Fortnite launcher.
In line with the “battle royale” hype from the then-over game PUBG, Epic Games also tried its hand at the battle royale with its free game mode and succeeded greatly. Thus, Epic Games outsmarted the first death of Fortnite, but that was just the beginning.
A new debacle was not long in coming.
Second Death – The Lawsuit from PUBG against Fortnite
A lawsuit dragged Epic Games to court: The success didn’t take long, because when Epic Games released its battle royale mode, more than 10 million players flocked to the servers in less than 2 weeks.
Now Fortnite led the hype, and the developers of PUBG noticed this. In no time, Epic Games was sued by the Bluehole Studio. It was about serious plagiarism allegations that PUBG presented to the court:
- Style of the interface
- the mini-map
- the overlay of the crosshair
- the way health points are regenerated
- the number of players in a match
The whole topic surrounding Fortnite had a bitter aftertaste because the new mode actually seemed like a makeshift solution on Epic’s part to ride the hype around PUBG. Fortnite was even more successful, as the colorful BR shooter was offered for free, unlike PUBG.
Many were waiting for the trial back then, but it never took place. Bluehole Studio quietly withdrew its lawsuit without any statement (via polygon.com). To this day, no one knows what led the developers to this step, but it is rumored to have something to do with the corporate giant “Tencent”.
After this issue, the hype slowly decreased and the next problem was already on its way.
Third Death – Competitive or Casual Game?
Fortnite in an identity crisis: Once the legal dispute was no longer an issue and Fortnite earned more money with continuous live events, battle passes, and skins, a new problem emerged: the dwindling player numbers.
The problem Epic Games had to face was Fortnite’s identity. The battle royale was supposed to focus on a competitive player base at its release. It was meant to be challenging and difficult. Pro players like Ninja, Tfue, Benjyfishy, and Myth were the faces of the game at that time and showcased their building skills in tournaments.
Good for the pros, but bad for casual players. Many couldn’t handle the then-meta of the “double pumps” and the building. Gradually, player numbers dwindled, and the developers noticed this as well. A solution was needed, and thus one of the most defining PR actions in gaming history was created – the event with the black hole.
Epic Games provided for a reboot of the game after the release of Chapter 2. New map, weapons, bots, better building, and a greater focus on casual players. Gradually, Fortnite shifted from a competitive game towards a social game.
It was meant to be a fresh start, and Fortnite succeeded in this. Concerts by Travis Scott or Ariana Grande attracted many new players to the BR shooter and showed a side of the shooter that no player had seen from a game before.
More and more, Fortnite changed its strategy and even introduced a permanent no-build mode to bring fun to players without building talent.
In this way, Epic Games also averted the third and final death of its game. It is a long story that is not yet finished.
The developers have continually shown that they refuse to be beaten and have skillfully taken their fate into their own hands. One thing is clear: Fortnite will continue to exist for many more years.
What do you think of the story? In your opinion, did Epic Games have luck? Feel free to leave us your thoughts in the comments.
