The Battle Royale genre of shooting games is still alive and kicking. Recent offerings like Apex Legends last year, along with the ever growing Call of Duty Warzone, prove that. While other games like PUBG may have lost a portion of their player base, they still enjoy massive success. There is a reason the game received official confirmation of next-generation console support, and scores of excited fans worldwide. And another big example of this is Fortnite.
Developed by Epic Games as a free-to-play alternative to PUBG, the game took off massively in the past 3 years. The game received instant attention for the way it redefined the traditional battle royale genre. While the core essentials remained the same, gameplay differed significantly. So while players still needed to survive as the last one standing in a constantly-shrinking map, new features changed the entire aesthetic. The third person camera, emphasis on building cover and comicbook style graphics made it stand out.
The game remains hugely popular, so next-gen support is unsurprising
Like most other popular franchises, the game could use several advancements and upgrades for its next-gen debut. While PC and mobile gamers likely have nothing new to hear, console gamers currently shiver with excitement. The next few weeks will see the release of the Xbox Series X and PS5, both of which come with significant gaming improvements. These include 4k gaming support, high framerates, reduced load times and HDR 10 support.
The official Fortnite account on Twitter, along with Epic Games’ website, revealed just how much next-gen consoles improve the Fortnite experience. They confirm that on PS5 and the Series X, the game will run at 4K resolution at 60 FPS (frames per second). On the Series S, due to its less powerful hardware, the game runs at the standard 1080p at 60 FPS. The unspoken but rumored additional detail is that higher framerates, probably at 120 FPS, should come to the Series X/PS5 at lower resolutions.
The PS5 has an advantage with this title, thanks to increased controller functionality
While the new Series X/S edition Xbox controller is essentially a rendition of the Xbox One’s, the PS5 takes a new approach. While the former directly allows compatibility with previous generations, the PS5 does not allow this. The DualSense 5, the successor to the DualShock 4, aims to reinvent itself. It boasts the same controversial touchpad, and button layout (except the additional Create button). The biggest features that games like Fortnite support are the haptic triggers, and the console’s Activities shortcut.
The haptic feedback in the triggers, explained here, will elevate player immersion. Epic Games noted that the feature allows PS5 gamers to experience unique feels across different firearms classes. For example, a heavy sniper rifle will provide a different sensation than a light submachine gun.
The activities functionality, accessed from the homepage, allows users to quickly jump to their preferred mode. Owing to the PS5’s powerful SSD, players can simply launch their desired game mode directly very quickly, eliminating the need for the main menu. Before even launching the game, just load directly into a matchmaking lobby.
Other confirmed next-gen features were announced too
Fortnite will also implement other improvements over the Xbox One and PS4 versions. Dynamic lighting (raytracing exists on PC, no word on consoles just yet) and improved physics stand out. Also, the game features faster, more streamlined matchmaking queues thanks to the improved hardware.
Stay tuned for more on the next generation of Fortnite!