Competitive Fortnite could use some changes in the upcoming season.
It’s been a while since Fortnite has seen the changes that the fan base has grown accustomed to in its three-year history. Season X stands out as one of the premier examples of how often the ultra-popular Battle Royale title made changes. Fortnite Chapter 2 debuted on October 15, 2019, to a mostly positive reception. Epic Games took a step back in this latest edition, added some unique mechanics and allowed the meta to develop itself. In a competitive sense, it was refreshing to see a solidified loot pool and less gimmicky items. The hands-off approach taken by the Fortnite developers went a long way toward establishing trust between themselves and the players.
Fortnite Chapter 2 also yielded another iteration of the Fortnite Champion Series and more Cash Cup tournaments. The Fortnite developers have yet to release any critical details on Chapter 2 Season 2, but we’ve compiled a list of what we would like to see from a competitive standpoint when it releases on February 20th.
#5 — More mobility options
One of the most significant issues to come out of the last three months of Chapter 2 Season 1 is the lack of mobility. Except for extremely loud and easily targeted boats, the current state of Fortnite makes it difficult for players to rotate. Often, each storm circle pulls far away from a group of player’s current location. The random circle pulls undoubtedly play into the unpredictable nature of Fortnite and players only have building materials and the occasional river to rely on for rotation.
Adding launch pads back into Fortnite is one inclusion that the current meta really could use to ensure safer rotations for players. Although players can abuse launch pads for high ground retakes, it would be worth at least testing them. We’ve seen some promise with the recent 11.50 update . An additional mobility option would allow players to rotate as they please and could make for outstanding and more full end games. It would also eliminate the need for players to signal others for safe rotation in tournaments like Solo Cash Cups.
#4 — Nerf flopper abuse
Fortnite Chapter 2 came along with a new fishing mechanic that yielded a delightful experience. Fishing offered players the option to pull blue, purple and even gold weapons without having to rely on chests. In addition to pulling weapons, fishing can also greet players with, well, fish. These fish come in three forms; Small Fry, Flopper and Slurp Fish. Small Frys heal up to 75% of a player’s health, Floppers heal 50% and Slurp Fish heal 50% health or shield.
Competitive players utilize Floppers and Slurp Fish due to their one-second usage time. They take minimal effort and offer an advantage for players who fall behind the storm circle. Players can stack a maximum of four Floppers per inventory slot, which allows them to take an abundance of storm damage with no real negatives. Strategies behind using fish are fascinating to watch, but they’re easy to abuse and far too reliable when players are in dire straits.
#3 — Trios in competitive
One of the bright spots of the post-World Cup hangover took place during arguably Fortnite’s worst season. Season X saw the debut of the Fortnite Champion Series and thus came the trios format. Seeing teams of three duke it out to decide the winner of each match had a certain indefinable charm. It’s hard to explain, but watching certain combinations of players just worked. Chief among these groups was none other than Kyle “Mongraal” Jackson, Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish and Dmitri “mitr0” Van de Vrie.
The trio commonly referred to as MMB steamrolled their competition in Season X. If nothing else, teams of three added another layer to the simplicity of duos and solos. Trios forced players to heighten their communication so they could adequately share materials and items with the ultimate goal of winning in mind. In a season that featured mech suits, trios stole the show.
Fortnite fans across the world are hoping to hear a World Cup 2 announcement that includes a trio competition. We would love to see the return of MMB and NA East Season X Champions, Mack “MackWood” Aesoph, Anthony “ZexRow” Colandro and Jonathan “Calculator” Weber. Let’s hope that trios left a good enough impression on Epic Games so we can see more of it in Chapter 2 Season 2.
#2 — Organizational support by Epic Games
It’s no secret that Epic Games has never been fond of partnering up with esports organizations. We’ve never received a clear indication as to why, but big franchises like FaZe Clan and Team Liquid have no direct connection to Fortnite except for signing talented players. Epic Games notably limited each competitor’s ability to sport their team’s logos and branding at the Fortnite World Cup.
The only real positives for these organizations revolve mainly around content creation and streaming. Players such as Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish and Martin “MrSavage” Andersen both represent NRG Esports and produce popular streams of nearly 20 to 30 thousand viewers on Twitch. These numbers add a lot of value to their names and the organizations that they represent.
Unfortunately, Epic Games does not see the value in plastering organizational brands all over their game. It would be interesting to see Fortnite roll out some skins branded with famous esports logos. The amount of money generated from such an endeavor could be significant, especially in the current state of Fortnite. The lack of support from Epic Games has seen some high-profile organizations disband their Fortnite rosters.
Popular esports title Call of Duty: Modern Warfare deployed an official Call of Duty League and thus released a set of skins and in-game items themed to all 12 city-based franchises. Many professional Fortnite players team up with fellow organization members. One of the best examples is that of Tom “72hrs” Mulligan, Ryan “Chap” Chaplo and Noah “Vivid” Wright teaming up together for the FNCS in Chapter 2 Season 1. Fortnite’s popularity remains transcendent to this day, but fans have no way of supporting their favorite organizations in-game.
#1 — More tournaments and events
Competitive Fortnite is subjectively one of the more entertaining esports titles out there. Many would disagree with that statement, but the top professional Fortnite players possess an unfathomable amount of talent. Names like Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf and benjyfishy are partly popular due to their abilities, but the Fortnite World Cup elevated names belonging to the best players. With several million viewers across all streaming platforms at the World Cup, we know that Fortnite is still relevant, albeit much less than the earlier days. A lot of the talent revolving around Fortnite feels wasted without a definitive tournament system.
Since the Fortnite World Cup, we’ve seen only two LAN events. DreamHack Winter 2019 offered no official stream, and the AO Summer Smash peaked at around 40K viewers. Tournament organizers are beginning to take business into their own hands. Epic Games is clearly showing no sense of urgency in announcing either another Fortnite Champion Series or Fortnite World Cup. We acknowledge how much goes into making these types of decisions, but the lack of communication does not exactly instill confidence in players and fans.
Competitive Fortnite is simply in a weird spot at this point in its storied life. We have DreamHack Anaheim coming up in a few weeks, but yet again, it has no dedicated stream. Other than that, there is not much worth discussing except for a $1M USD PS4 only tournament. The community desperately needs something to look forward to, and Epic Games has not instilled much positivity for both players and fans who enjoy watching the highest level of Fortnite.
What are you looking for in Chapter 2 Season 2? Tweet @ESTNN and let us know your thoughts!