Fortnite
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Posted: 6 months ago, last updated 9 weeks ago.
Author: Andy Robertson.
Overview
Fortnite rose to popularity via its Battle Royale mode where 100 players fight against each other in online battles to the death. While they play, using shooting, evasion and building skills to survive, a storm is closing in to make the playable area shrink.
This simple play mechanic creates knife-edge finales when just a few players are left in the eye of the storm. Along with an ongoing commitment to adding narrative, geographical, weapon and outfits enhancements the developer has build a huge audience of online players.
Although often bemoaned in the press, Fortnite is a healthy game that encourages "soft" skills like smart thinking, social interaction, planning and strategy as well as "harder" skills like quick reactions and hand-eye coordination.
Fortnite also includes a wide range of other activities as well as the shooting gunplay. There are online concerts, building games and other modes like Prophunt where players can transform into items in the world (bushes, doors, toilets, tractors) and then have the seeker players try and find them.
This simple play mechanic creates knife-edge finales when just a few players are left in the eye of the storm. Along with an ongoing commitment to adding narrative, geographical, weapon and outfits enhancements the developer has build a huge audience of online players.
Although often bemoaned in the press, Fortnite is a healthy game that encourages "soft" skills like smart thinking, social interaction, planning and strategy as well as "harder" skills like quick reactions and hand-eye coordination.
Fortnite also includes a wide range of other activities as well as the shooting gunplay. There are online concerts, building games and other modes like Prophunt where players can transform into items in the world (bushes, doors, toilets, tractors) and then have the seeker players try and find them.
Details
Release date: July 2017, updated in 2018
Platforms: Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and iOS.
Genres: Action, Fighting, Open World and Shooting.
Tips
This game is good if you want to:
Commitment
Duration: It takes between 10 minutes and 20 minutes to play a round of this game. Players are encouraged to quickly jump into the next game which can result in extended play sessions. You can set time-limits on consoles, and on Xbox for the Fortnite game specifically, and encourage them to play other games when the time is up.
Players: You can play with 2 players in the same room and up to 100 players online. Split-screen is available for two players to compete in online matches on PlayStation and Xbox.
Cross-Play: You can play against people on different systems: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Mobile.
Players: You can play with 2 players in the same room and up to 100 players online. Split-screen is available for two players to compete in online matches on PlayStation and Xbox.
Cross-Play: You can play against people on different systems: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Mobile.
Costs
This game is free to start playing. Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. Some of these purchases (known as 'loot boxes') are for a chance of getting rare/higher-value items although common/lower-value items are more frequent. These in-game purchases also offer a regular subscription fee (known as a 'battle/season pass') to unlock access to reward items and other aspects of the game.
You can buy Loot Llamas using V-Bucks, these offer unseen items when opened. Recently these have been changed to show players what it inside them before purchase. However, if you earn the Llamas through playing the game rather than purchase you can't see inside beforehand.
You don’t need a paid subscription to play this game online.
You can buy Loot Llamas using V-Bucks, these offer unseen items when opened. Recently these have been changed to show players what it inside them before purchase. However, if you earn the Llamas through playing the game rather than purchase you can't see inside beforehand.
You don’t need a paid subscription to play this game online.
Age Ratings
This game has received a PEGI 12 for frequent mild violence. It is not suitable for persons under 12 years of age.
This game has been rated ESRB EVERYONE 10+.
User-Generated Content: This game includes content created by other players, such as maps, outfits and items, that are not reflected in the game rating.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Accessibility
This game supports accessibility in the following ways:
- Difficulty: There is an aim assist that makes targeting easier. As this is an online game difficulty depends on the other players in your match. But the game aims to find players of similar ability.
- Reading: There is some reading required. Subtitles for in-game narration.
- Controls: Sensitivity and button mapping is extensive with many options. You can opt to toggle rather than hold for sprinting and to tap rather than hold to interact. You can also get doors and pick-ups to happen automatically.
- Image calibration: Motion blur can be disabled. Brightness can be altered. There are colourblind friendly options. There's a setting to visualise audio cues via a circular overlay that shows the player the direction of any sounds nearby. It also includes icons and colours to give a visual representation of this audio information.
- Audio calibration: Control music, effects and chat volume independently. Audio cues offer direction and proximity of other players as well as wider activity in the area.
System Settings
Android has accessibility settings including ways to navigate and interact, although not all games support this. Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games. Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators. PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping). Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games. iOS has a very extensive suite of accessibility settings including ways to navigate with voice and comprehensive screen reading, though most of the features don't work with games... read more about system accessibility settings.
Similar Games
The following games are like Fortnite. They address a similar topic or offer a similar way to play. They are good options to play next and also good alternatives to Fortnite for younger age ratings.
Fortnite is in These Lists
In addition to the similar games listed above, which have been linked to this game specifically in the database, you may find games with a similar theme to Fortnite in the following lists:
Big Budget Popular Games
These games are big, brash and popular. They have big budgets which means the visual and interactive quality is particularly high. They also have strong and wide ranging player communities.
Exuberant Games For Pre-16 Year-Olds
There's a gap when children are starting to outgrow PEGI 12 rated games but aren't necessarily ready for PEGI 16 rated shooting and fighting experiences. The games in this list offer some options that are genuinely exuberant and exhilarating but with lower levels of violence.
We go through some really good examples of these exciting, fast-action game for a range of ages. They are all PEGI 12 or under, apart from Halo, which we have included as this is a lower ESRB TEEN rating in the US for the latest release and mostly features space-themed rather than realistic violence.
We go through some really good examples of these exciting, fast-action game for a range of ages. They are all PEGI 12 or under, apart from Halo, which we have included as this is a lower ESRB TEEN rating in the US for the latest release and mostly features space-themed rather than realistic violence.
Play With People On Different Systems
Most online games only work if the person you are wanting to play against has the same system that you have, console, PC or smartphone. There are, however, a growing library of games that offer what is often called cross-play. This lets you play with people on different systems.
These games are a good way to extend the list of friends and family that you can play with. It also makes it less critical which system you have in your home, even if your friends have a different one.
These games are a good way to extend the list of friends and family that you can play with. It also makes it less critical which system you have in your home, even if your friends have a different one.
Play And Connect
Online games are great because you have a world of opponents to take on and defeat (or be defeated by). But beyond the competitive element of these games are often a strong sense of community and camaraderie.
Players enjoy making new connections in these games, as well as connecting with wider family and friends. Listen to the chatter while children play these games, and you hear as much talk about homework, television, YouTube or what's happening in the world as who to shoot in the head next.
Players enjoy making new connections in these games, as well as connecting with wider family and friends. Listen to the chatter while children play these games, and you hear as much talk about homework, television, YouTube or what's happening in the world as who to shoot in the head next.
Designed For Reduced Motor Function
These games’ mechanics and options make it possible to adapt the experience to be accessible for people depending on your physical capabilities.
- Remap Controls: Remapping buttons and swapping joysticks (like Fortnite) help customize the player’s way to interact with the game, also helping players that use only one hand.
- No Holding: Some games (like Moving Out) also offer the option to avoid having to hold any buttons down for actions like aiming, opening or equipping. You can use simple taps or toggles instead to reduce muscular fatigue.
- Sensitivity: Some of these games (like Fortnite) also enable you to adjust control sensitivity as well as controller vibration if that is present.
- Fewer Buttons: Simpler controls (like FIFA) are good to consider, as well as those that offer extensive difficulty settings.
- Speed: Reducing how fast a game plays (like Eagle Island) is a helpful setting.
- Difficulty: Offering customisable difficulty, like how fast a game plays (like Eagle Island) or adding invincibility (like Celeste), and other features allow tailoring the game to the player’s needs.
Designed With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Features
Video games are a medium that can be enjoyed by a diverse audience, but sometimes, Deaf or hard of hearing players can struggle to enjoy a game due to information not being conveyed to them properly. Audio cues without visual indicators or captions, spoken narrative or direction without subtitles, for example.
However, games that include well-illustrated subtitles or captions can enable these players to understand what's being spoken through dialogue, and what's going on in the surrounding area.
Providing subtitles and captions is a good first step. But also important is that subtitles are readable and stand out from the game. Some games do this by adding a background, or a heavy drop shadow behind the text while others use colours to separate different meanings. Metro Exodus, for example, will inform the player where an enemy is located in the world through captions.
Where audio is used to locate events in the game world, a visual representation of this information is helpful. Games such as Fortnite have an audio visualiser ring that identifies where key audio (and the related event) is coming from. Assassin's Creed Odyssey uses a similar feature to indicate nearby dangers.
Games that enable Deaf and hard of hearing players with subtitles, captions and visual indicators are hugely welcomed by the community, with wider accessibility benefits for other players who can opt to benefit from these interface enhancements as well.
However, games that include well-illustrated subtitles or captions can enable these players to understand what's being spoken through dialogue, and what's going on in the surrounding area.
Providing subtitles and captions is a good first step. But also important is that subtitles are readable and stand out from the game. Some games do this by adding a background, or a heavy drop shadow behind the text while others use colours to separate different meanings. Metro Exodus, for example, will inform the player where an enemy is located in the world through captions.
Where audio is used to locate events in the game world, a visual representation of this information is helpful. Games such as Fortnite have an audio visualiser ring that identifies where key audio (and the related event) is coming from. Assassin's Creed Odyssey uses a similar feature to indicate nearby dangers.
Games that enable Deaf and hard of hearing players with subtitles, captions and visual indicators are hugely welcomed by the community, with wider accessibility benefits for other players who can opt to benefit from these interface enhancements as well.
Hide and Seek
Some forms of play are timeless. Running around with a stick pretending to be in the army. Chasing each other in games of tag. And, of course, hide and seek. The games in this list offer digital ways to play hide and seek with a variety of different twists.
Hide In A Crowd: There are games like Spy Party, Thief Town, Hidden in Plain Sight and Buissons, that let you play as a range of characters and then challenge another player to find you amongst a computer-controlled crowd, from what way you move and interact. The Fruit game in Game and Wario on Wii U has the same mechanics, with one person trying to steal fruit without the other players working out who they are. Wii Party offers hiding in its Spot the Sneak mode where one player has a secret advantage in the mini-games that the other players have to spot. Another great example is Wii U Party, Lost and Found Square mode. One player stands in a crowd of identical people and uses the Wii U gamepad to look around and describe their location to other players, who use the TV to explore and find them. At the end, you see a map of where the players had run.
Prop Hunt: There are games with "Prop Hunt" modes where you can change into the items in the world to hide. Fortnite has a great Prop Hunt mode, as does Minecraft. Then there are games like Witch It designed around this idea of transforming into normal items and hiding in a game world.
Separate Screens: There games like Mario Chase and Luigi's Ghosthouse in Nintendoland, or Pac-Man Vs where one person has their own screen while the others team up to hunt for them use the main TV screen. Or games you play online where everyone has their own screen and try to hide from a particular character like in Secret Neighbor. Screencheat is a twist on this, where you share the same screen and try to shoot each other, but your characters are invisible.
Hidden Objects: Or there are hidden object games where the computer hides things that you have to find, like Hidden Folks and Hidden Through Time. There's a hidden object mode in Mario Odyssey where you hunt online player's hidden balloons. A twist on this is Here Kitty where one person hides a phone that then makes cat noises until the seeker has found it.
Open World Hiding: You can use pretty much any open-world game to make your own hiding fun. You can hide in Minecraft (having turned nameplates off), sneak around on public transport in or simply count to 10 while visitors hide in Animal Crossing New Horizons.
Hide In A Crowd: There are games like Spy Party, Thief Town, Hidden in Plain Sight and Buissons, that let you play as a range of characters and then challenge another player to find you amongst a computer-controlled crowd, from what way you move and interact. The Fruit game in Game and Wario on Wii U has the same mechanics, with one person trying to steal fruit without the other players working out who they are. Wii Party offers hiding in its Spot the Sneak mode where one player has a secret advantage in the mini-games that the other players have to spot. Another great example is Wii U Party, Lost and Found Square mode. One player stands in a crowd of identical people and uses the Wii U gamepad to look around and describe their location to other players, who use the TV to explore and find them. At the end, you see a map of where the players had run.
Prop Hunt: There are games with "Prop Hunt" modes where you can change into the items in the world to hide. Fortnite has a great Prop Hunt mode, as does Minecraft. Then there are games like Witch It designed around this idea of transforming into normal items and hiding in a game world.
Separate Screens: There games like Mario Chase and Luigi's Ghosthouse in Nintendoland, or Pac-Man Vs where one person has their own screen while the others team up to hunt for them use the main TV screen. Or games you play online where everyone has their own screen and try to hide from a particular character like in Secret Neighbor. Screencheat is a twist on this, where you share the same screen and try to shoot each other, but your characters are invisible.
Hidden Objects: Or there are hidden object games where the computer hides things that you have to find, like Hidden Folks and Hidden Through Time. There's a hidden object mode in Mario Odyssey where you hunt online player's hidden balloons. A twist on this is Here Kitty where one person hides a phone that then makes cat noises until the seeker has found it.
Open World Hiding: You can use pretty much any open-world game to make your own hiding fun. You can hide in Minecraft (having turned nameplates off), sneak around on public transport in or simply count to 10 while visitors hide in Animal Crossing New Horizons.
Compete In Esports
Some video games require a high amount of skill and experience to play. These have developed into competitive sports with high profile competitions and big prize money. Although it can seem a little strange to think of a video game as a sport, the challenge, focus, training, instinct and skill required means that players at the top of these leagues and competitions have approach the pastime like athletes approach sporting prowess.
Less obvious than the big prizes and high profile winners are the aspects of esports that can lead to a diverse set of skills suitable for a range of digital careers. Digital Schoolhouse, a not-for-profit programme delivered by the UK games industry trade body Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment), has been using an annual e-sports schools tournaments to teach technology and digital skills.
Students aged 12-18 years participate as players or fulfil professional roles crafted by the video games industry, for educational purposes. They manage the event itself, photograph the action, organising production logistics, referee, commentate on live match streams, manage team community, logos and branding and even deal with most of the paperwork themselves.
Whether it’s the Digital Schoolhouse programme or something similar, finding a way to inspire and cheer on children towards a career in video games not only opens a door to their future, but creates a healthy understanding of the industry today.
Less obvious than the big prizes and high profile winners are the aspects of esports that can lead to a diverse set of skills suitable for a range of digital careers. Digital Schoolhouse, a not-for-profit programme delivered by the UK games industry trade body Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment), has been using an annual e-sports schools tournaments to teach technology and digital skills. Students aged 12-18 years participate as players or fulfil professional roles crafted by the video games industry, for educational purposes. They manage the event itself, photograph the action, organising production logistics, referee, commentate on live match streams, manage team community, logos and branding and even deal with most of the paperwork themselves.
Whether it’s the Digital Schoolhouse programme or something similar, finding a way to inspire and cheer on children towards a career in video games not only opens a door to their future, but creates a healthy understanding of the industry today.
Outwit The Crowd In Online Battles
Battle Royale games are played online against 100's of other players. They blend different genres of games: survival, exploration, adventure, shooting and scavenging while introducing the last-man-standing gameplay.
They are usually played in an arena where players start with basic equipment and aim to kill all the other players. The arena area shrinks as play proceeds to bring the game to a crescendo.
"The name for the genre is taken from the 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale, itself based on the novel of the same name, which presents a similar theme of a last-man-standing competition in a shrinking play zone." - Wikipedia
They are usually played in an arena where players start with basic equipment and aim to kill all the other players. The arena area shrinks as play proceeds to bring the game to a crescendo.
"The name for the genre is taken from the 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale, itself based on the novel of the same name, which presents a similar theme of a last-man-standing competition in a shrinking play zone." - Wikipedia
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