Fortnite is an ever-evolving beast. The battle royale style third-person shooter is still incubating in the Early Access realm, frequently receiving new updates and features. Some have heavily impacted how the game is played, like with the recently added sticky bombs and rideable shopping carts. New weapons and tactics provide the right gear to nab that “#1 Victory Royale” solo or with your mates.
If you’re here, there’s no doubt you’ve probably heard of Myth, Ninja or Gotaga. These are some of the most prominent streamers when it comes to Fortnite. But, are there better players and squads out there? Without a dedicated streaming fanbase, how do these talented online players become discovered? And, of course, is there more to the Fortnite scene besides taking first place?
I think the answer lies within the esports community.
Recent reports of information found in Fortnite’s game files might hint at an upcoming competitive mode. Folders holding the names of “Playlist_Comp_Duos” and “Playlist_Comp_Squads” were discovered in the data mining. While these folder contents could mean something entirely different, the inclusion of a competitive mode to the already well-populated online community feels like the most logical next step for Epic Games.
I Call Rank
I think the biggest feature that could help in a comp mode would be a full-fledged ranking system. This means a proper leveling system, stat tracking for tournaments, moving through the competitive ranks, and a more detailed leaderboard system outside of standard wins. I feel as though Overwatch has done an excellent job of sifting through competitive matches for placement, but also allowing unranked matches to be somewhat balanced in doing so.
Although the idea of a more complete ranking system sounds great, I do understand that it would be a massive overhaul in not only balancing the game but creating a separate dashboard for it to live. But, if Fortnite continues to develop with smaller installations for updates in weaponry and balancing (V5 looks very promising), there’s no doubt it has the funds (Party Royale, anyone?) to pour into something like a massive overhaul.
Squad up, m8!
Fortnite needs more. Period. With the continued growth and popularity amongst celebrities and professional teams, Fortnite needs substance.
I will say that Call of Duty WW2 has done a pretty good job with getting players in online matches, and then to the big stage at their Call of Duty World League (CWL) events. This also brings on another need for Fortnite to develop a much bigger stage for competitors, which a lot of teams are already building out their rosters.
Not only do I think a comp mode will help alleviate some of the stress of unbalanced matches, but I think it will help the game overall. More premiere league players will find themselves grouped with other similarly talented players, and unless you have a smurf account, it will bring balance to the force game overall.
Growing Pains
Right now, Fortnite is an ever-growing tree. Its branches have grown branches, and those branches’ seed pods are ready to pop. Instead of slowing down, it seems that Fortnite continues to grow and combat other battle royale games due to its sheer number of active players (and possible new additions on the way).
If the datamined rumors are true, Fortnite almost needs a comp mode to deliver its final form. It needs to shed its awkward highwaters and jump fully into a full release. If it follows a similar pattern as Overwatch, there is still a hearty amount of room for continued updates, seasonal tie-ins, cosmetic skins, and timed events like we saw with the Avengers.
Although a comp mode would undoubtedly increase the popularity of Fortnite, there is still the question as to what building options and weapons will be included. Does that mean only green and blue weapon strengths for match longevity? Only one gold BR per match? Limited supplies, or smaller maps? No llamas?
A comp mode will only solidify the Fortnite experience and tie up all of the loose ends that Early Access has created.
