How To

How to play FORTNITE

October 28, 2021
Updated: March 7, 2024 at 4:58 PM

Fortnite is a hugely popular online battle game. Developed by Epic Games and launched in 2017, it’s the most successful game of its kind worldwide.

However, you’ll need to learn how to play Fortnite and master every element of the game if you want to beat your opponents.

Start by downloading the game

You can download and install Fortnite on Windows, macOS, mobile devices like iOS and Android, and of course on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo, Playstation for free.

If you come across a paid version of Fortnite, it isn’t Battle Royale. After you have set up an account, you can open the game by clicking Play.

Playing Fortnite

There are three game modes to play in. In the paid Save the World mode, teams of up to four players fight zombies. Creati v e mode is a free game in which players create their own worlds and battlefields. The most popular mode is Battle Royale, which is a phenomenon around the world with over 350 million players. You have to use your fighting skills against up to 99 other players to be the last one left standing.

You start playing by selecting a game option. You choose which Fortnight Battle Royale Mode is best for you:

Solo — You’re one of 100 players who fight each other.
Duo — You plus a teammate fight against 49 other teams.
Squads — You, with three teammates, fight 24 other teams.
Soaring 50’s — You plus 49 other players battle against 50 other players.

Then you click PLAY at the bottom of the page and wait for the game to load.

After this, you’ll be placed in a lobby where you’ll wait with other players until it fills up. When it does, you’ll all be added to the game.

You can check out this guide to see how to play Fortnite with your friends on various platforms.

Understanding Fortnite

The game works by elimination. The winner is the last person, duo, or squad left after everyone else has been defeated. The players who do best are careful and aware of how the situation is unfolding. Surviving is more important to winning Fortnite than killing opponents, and you need to learn how to avoid dying in Fortnite at all costs.

There are ‘seasons’ in Battle Royale that introduce a new chapter with its own theme. You also get new content, including outfits or ‘skins’, such as the Prisoner Skins that came out during one of the seasons.. Each new chapter will test your skills with different locations and obstacles. New players find Battle Royale fast-paced and fun, involving a steep learning curve.

There are plenty of guides for past and present seasons you can check out:

Fortnite basics

You need to know some basic terms before playing Fortnite:

Entry — All players start the game in a flying bus. They must jump out and land on an island below them.
Pickaxe — Players all have a pickaxe when they start. You can use it as a weapon or to collect useful objects.
Resources — You can collect resources like wood by using the pickaxe on trees or other objects. You can then use the resources to build structures.
Storm — The storm expands at specific points on the map to make them unplayable. If you get caught in the storm, you will die slowly.

Fortnite strategy

Staying alive until everyone else is dead is the key to winning Fortnite. It’s not easy, but you could do well if you play carefully until you’re an expert. Avoiding unnecessary risks and encounters can keep you alive. More experienced players can afford to be aggressive, but trying that when you’re a beginner probably won’t pay off.

Tips and Tricks

When to jump out of the bus

Jumping out of the flying bus to start the game is critical. Many players jump almost immediately or when they see a large town or settlement below. Try instead to jump as late as you can, aiming for a house or small village instead. The downside is that you’ll be on the outskirts and will have to move quickly to avoid the storm later

Arm yourself as soon as you can

You can use your pickaxe to fight with if you have to, but shotguns and rifles tend to win battles on Fortnite. But any weapon is better than nothing. A pistol or revolver can be handy, and you can always find something heavier later in the game.

Here are some guides on weapons you can read:

Build a shelter to take cover

You can use your pickaxe to find resources to build walls and barricades if you need to hide when an enemy player has found out where you are. You can also find existing shelters to hide in, like barns or houses or hide in vegetation.

Check out this guide to learn how to master building in Fortnite.

Evaluate enemies before fighting

Check what kind of weapon your enemy has. Don’t go against an opponent who has an assault rifle if you only have a pistol. It might be better to hide somewhere instead. That’s when a shelter comes in handy, whether you’ve built it or found it!

Keep on playing

The only way to get better at playing Fortnite is to play the game. Once you have some playing experience, you’ll know your way around, and it will become easier to end up as the last player standing.

Summary

Fortnite is a virtual battle to the death and essentially violent. But the violence is cartoonish and not gory. Still, many parents don’t let their children play with chat enabled so that they won’t be exposed to swearing or insults. It takes dedication to become an expert at playing Fortnite Battle Royale. Newbies might find it challenging, but experienced players will continue to love the game.

Here are a few other articles you can read about Fortnite: