Fortnite released six years ago, and not only outlasted the Battle Royale boom, it has sustained a popularity rare for any video game in any genre. While seemingly everything must be known about this free-to-play phenomenon, we think these 15 little known facts might surprise you!
Building structures originally took hours
Early testers found the accurate build times to be “tedious” and “difficult to complete without being shot”
It’s loosely based on the Vietnam War
“Very loosely,” said Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games
A sequel has been confirmed
Epic has confirmed that not only are they working on Fortnite 2, but they are taking a page from industry leaders Blizzard’s recent work on Overwatch 2, and have pledged to fuck up every part of Fortnite that people love, and delist the beloved original as soon as they can.
It has inspired various spin-offs
The ‘John Wick’ skin, for example, has led to four films alone after proving popular in the game’s store.
It has inspired cosplayers all over the world
You might not realize it if you haven’t played the game, but these Fortnite fans can be seen all over the place, practicing their building. Often during peak business hours!
V-Bucks remain overwhelmingly popular with today’s youth
A shocking new study reports that while 99% of today’s adolescents are familiar with and have V-Bucks, an astounding 80% of them have never used paper money. Some experts believe the V-Buck will replace the Actual Buck by 2030.
It’s filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s favorite game
“Put that shit in my veins!” said the Raging Bull director, when asked if rumors were true that he enjoyed the popular Battle Royale title.
It remains popular six years after release
In fact, it recently inspired the ‘Drain your parents’ savings account’ trend on TikTok
A film adaptation is in the works
Almost certainly, right? I mean, I didn’t look this up, but they’re making a Hot Wheels and Magic 8-Ball movies. So yeah, they’re definitely working on some Fortnite movie somewhere.
It has inspired real life crimes
A violent street gang was recently apprehended after a series of shootings only after they were discovered dancing in unison a few blocks away. Their moves identified them as Fortnite players. I didn’t click the link or anything, but the fact that it might be true says a lot, doesn’t it?
It has hosted concerts, movies, and exhibitions
In addition to wild premieres and rocking showcases, Epic Games also controversially once reenacted the assassination of John F. Kennedy in the streets of Misty Meadows in a live event they’ve since heavily apologized for, despite being positively received by a majority of the players that entered the sniping competition.
It has crashed several times due to crowded servers
This is what caused the game to flood for a while back in 2020.
It’s rumored to be going to New York City for an upcoming season
In order to inject some life into the long running game, expect familiar locales like Slappy Shores and Frenzy Fields to be replaced by locations such as Queens and The Bronx!
Exciting plans for the future
Tim Sweeney has hinted at future collaborations with popular artists, musicians, filmmakers, and that Twitch streamer that showed everyone his dick the other day.
It inspired waves of copycat violence
While still unconfirmed, most authorities agree that the recent tragedy involving a stolen school bus going over a cliff’s edge was almost certainly an ill-fated attempt at recreating Fortnite’s famed Battle Bus. An admirable attempt, but sadly the parachute did not work as portrayed in the game. A tragic, tragic loss. Hard Drive sends their condolences to the 99 grieving families, and our congratulations to the one boy that miraculously survived.
