The big picture: Fortnite was officially released with its PvE (Save the World) and PvP (Battle Royale) components in 2017, and the game quickly became a cultural phenomenon for both gamers and non-gamers alike. Epic Games is now attempting to recapture some of its original appeal with a new season that includes a variety of nostalgic elements to enjoy.
Epic Games recently launched the latest Fortnite season, giving both new and returning players access to some of the game’s original content. Fortnite Season OG will only last for four weeks, revisiting different phases of Fortnite: Battle Royale’s past with each major update. The massively multiplayer online game phenomenon is taking a nostalgic trip through time, and gamers appear to be enjoying what they’ve seen so far.
Foremost, Fortnite Season OG allows current players to enter the first map, the original arena that was available with the first Battle Royale release. Many players have joined the action in the past few days, including Fortnite veterans eager to see if the chaotic PvP magic still holds up.
Fortnite’s official Twitter account confirmed the overwhelmingly positive response to the new OG season, as November 4, 2023, marked the “biggest day” in Fortnite’s history with over 44.7 million players. Additionally, the total number of hours played reached an astounding 102 million. Unofficial tracking site Fortnite.GG also verified this surge in popularity, with the highest concurrent player count ever recorded at 6,172,468.
After re-releasing the original Battle Royale map, Season OG will continue to reintroduce various new (old) content over the next few weeks. The latest Fortnite season is resurrecting weapons (Assault Rifle, Pump Shotgun, Hunting Rifle), traps, and items, along with fan-favorite vehicles such as the All Terrain Kart.
Some of the content will only be available for the week they were added, while others will remain accessible throughout the entire season’s duration. Naturally, Epic will offer players the option to purchase objects and new “cosmetic rewards” for a fee, with the OG Pass priced at 950 V-Bucks. Players can earn up to 1,000 V-Bucks by progressing in the OG Pass, which is also included in the Fortnite Crew’s $12 monthly subscription.
Fortnite’s resurgence in popularity will likely please Epic Games’ management, as the company is currently facing some challenges. A few weeks ago, Epic had to say farewell to nearly 900 employees, and Bandcamp.
