At this present moment, it would be hard to argue against any statement suggesting that Fortnite is the most popular game available. The game has broken so many noteworthy records related to player count numbers, play time figures and streaming in the past few months that it is almost difficult to keep track of them all.
But, why exactly is this game so popular?
This is the question that many as of late seem to be asking (it in itself is almost as popular as posts about the game.) Although I have limited experience in the game, I have endeavoured to find an answer for it.
Personally, I think the game’s popularity can be attributed to the five following factors
It’s Free
While I think many people attribute way too much credit to this factor, it would be difficult to deny that it has had a major impact on the game’s success. As a free game doesn’t put up a paywall barrier preventing people from joining in on the fun, player numbers are only limited by video game preference and compatible system ownership.
Publishers of popular multiplayer games that ask players to pay a premium price (such as Activision with the Call of Duty series and EA with the Battlefield series) actively limit the player count numbers of their titles because some people quite simply cannot afford to play. (I’m not saying that every game should be free. I’m just pointing out the reality of the situation.)
As Fortnite is a game that doesn’t have this barrier, it opens itself up to be played by both players who can and cannot afford to purchase the games that charge a premium. If it is a well-crafted title, there is a chance that it could grow into a title much-played by many, and there is no denying that Fortnite is a well-designed and fun game.
Fortnite. (Credit: Epic Games)
However, the reason I feel some people place too much emphasis on this factor is that there have been many free games before, but not all have reached the same heights that Fortnite has been able to. This obviously means that there must be other factors at play in this phenomenal situation.
Trend Game Mode
Although PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) was not the first game to make use of the Battle Royale game mode, it is the game that made it the most-spoken about game mode within the gaming community today.
Last year, when the game was first released, players could not stop speaking about their exhilarating in-game exploits. To many who had only ever been used to the multiplayer offerings provided by the most popular FPS series, the game mode provided an entirely unprecedented experience. Epic Games saw opportunity in this and decided to include the game mode in their early access title, Fortnite.
Nobody knows how long the battle-royale mode will remain popular. However, what is known is that many gamers seemingly cannot seem to get enough of it, which is why so many new high-profile upcoming titles are rumoured to include their own versions of the game mode. Quite simply, loads of people just want to play games with a battle-royale game mode, and Fortnite seems to be the best place to do it at the moment.
So, if it’s the battle-royale game mode that’s popular, why are more people speaking about Fortnite than PUBG?
Mass Availability
The answer to this question is rather simple. Fortnite is available on most popular gaming platform whereas PUBG is limited to PC and Xbox One. People need to understand that there are over 75 million people own PS4s and even more that own mobile phones. People can literally play Fortnite anywhere and at any time.
Something is that so widely and easily accessible, and then also makes use of an industry trend is going to be talked about by player no matter how one looks at it. There’s a term that’s often associated with people freely giving your product great praise…
(Before going on, I’m not saying that PUBG isn’t popular – as everybody knows it is. I’m just focusing on why Fortnite seems to have overtaken the title in popularity as of late.)
Free Publicity
When people really enjoy a product, they want to share their findings with other people, either through word of mouth or social media. When people see others constantly going on about some new product, they become interested in finding out what makes it so great, and so the cycle continues.
You don’t have to pay for this either.
This is exactly what is happening with Fortnite right now. People check their social media feed/gaming news or talk to their friends, and all they hear about is this game. Some can lie and say that they are never interested in what the masses are doing but at the end of the day most people do land up succumbing to their curiosity.
As Fortnite does actually provide a quality experience, it has enough to retain people for a good period of time and to get people speaking about it.
But, people can only stay interested for so long, right?
Updates
The longest-enduring multiplayer titles always see new content added to them over time to give players an incentive to keep coming back. While some may feel that many developers only provide superficial content updates for their games (new outfits, a new weapon, etc.), for many this is enough to keep on playing the game.
The gaming community vs. Fortnite hype
As long as Epic Games consistently keeps on adding content and improving the gameplay experience, Fortnite will remain a popular title within the gaming community – even when it starts to decline in future.
Conclusion
There is no singular reason that will explain why Fortnite has grown to become the phenomenal success that it has. One always has to look at all of the factors surrounding the situations. Although some may have had a greater impact than others, one cannot deny that many “stars have to align” for something to break into pop culture the same way this game has.
However, this is just my opinion on the matter. I may have missed some points you feel are rather crucial. So, what do you think? Why is Fortnite so popular? Please share in the comments down below.
