Fortnite OG has arrived at the famous island. The event runs through December 2 and offers up a plethora of nostalgic content to enjoy. It’s a rewind to 2018. The map, the graphics, the loot pool, the vehicles, and more are a throwback to Fortnite’s simpler time.
While they can’t bring back all the old cosmetics, they have remixed classics by smashing two concepts together. The famous Peely has been smashed with Lil’ Whip to make Lil’ Split. It’s a fun concept that harkens back to the Season X idea of remixing old skins. It also perfectly represents what Fortnite OG really is. It’s a remix of 2018 Fortnite with 2023 Fortnite to make something new that feels old.
Rose Colored Glasses
There was a 12-minute queue to log in this morning, which is something I haven’t seen in a while. Fortnite OG looks to be a highly anticipated success, but what does that say about modern Fortnite? Was 2018 the best the game has ever been? That’s a plausible idea. Online games are constantly mixing both reinvention with refinement. What happens if you strip away some reinvention without losing the refinement of mechanics like sprinting and mantling? A classic map, but with the perks of Zero Build. A classic loot pool, but with the ability to vault and slide.
You get something new that feels old. Blizzard did something like this with WoW Classic a while back. It turned back the clock for fans who wanted the old experience of early World of Warcraft, but Blizzard didn’t do a wholesale re-release of the original game—it took some of the game’s refinement and mixed it with classic elements. Much of it was a throwback. Much of it was “classic.” But the game certainly ran smoother and played better with the assistance of modern-day advancements.
All of this sells a very specific idea: Fortnite was perfect in 2018. Your memory of Fortnite being perfect is an accurate one. It’s an interesting idea to sell. Maybe the game really was perfect in 2018. I can’t argue with that idea too much.
That was the year I started playing. I played every single day to complete the Battle Passes. I played for multiple hours a day with friends and even got to play regularly with Jason Mewes. It was a highlight in my gaming life and probably the best time I’ve ever consistently had with Fortnite. It was new. It was fresh. It was special. It’s the version of Fortnite I always compare to Fortnite’s modern day decisions. Does that mean going back to 2018 is the “W” everyone seems to feel it is on X (formerly known as Twitter)?
A Master Of Disguise
Everything has been set back to the golden olden days. The Item shop looks the way it did, with only a few options instead of endless tabs filled to the brim with collaboration skins. The lobby is back to its classic minimalist appearance with a timer in the corner counting down to the next live event. The victory umbrella for the season looks like a fancy version of Fortnite’s original umbrella. The commitment to bringing back a time where the game was getting on its feet is admirable, but it’s also somewhat complicated.
A more focused Fortnite could resonate with the community in a way that carries the game forward by taking this look backward.
Fortnite’s OG Pass isn’t a full Battle Pass. This event isn’t a full season. It feels like a lack of commitment to a highly requested idea. It’s a splash of classic amidst a sea of new. Even the rewind to the old map without committing fully to old mechanics is a bit shallow. This event isn’t giving players back the old Fortnite, it’s tricking them into playing the core of modern Fortnite on an old map. Here in 2023, Fortnite has advanced its playstyle significantly. Major mechanics like sprinting and sliding have been added that vastly change the experience. New game modes like Zero Build have been added that change the rules. All of this is still there, lurking beneath the veneer of an older, simpler 2018 Fortnite. The changes are subtle and a bit tricky.
In order to accommodate the large amount of Zero Build players, Fortnite added many, many ziplines to the old map. This makes traversal easier in a mode where you can’t build your way out of trouble or across water.It’s one of those little changes that’s nearly invisible. It’s convenient and therefore feels like it has always been there.
Less Is More
What OG Fortnite has really contributed to the conversation is that less Fortnite might actually be the superior version of the famous Battle Royale. While many of the quality-of-life improvements have remained in the game, extraneous activities are gone. We don’t have cars and trucks with radios and gas cans. We don’t have fishing or bounties. We don’t have locations filled with NPCs and vaults. Swimming isn’t really a thing. If we find ourselves in waist-high water, we just slow down and slog through. There are no shakedowns or perks popping up every couple of minutes.
Instead, we have the classic gameplay loop. We drop on our favorite locations, we gather our weapons, and we seek out enemies to eliminate them until we’re the last one standing. We might come across vending machines that use resources, but we aren’t keeping track of a unique currency like gold. Fortnite has kept its core improvements while stripping away all of the little bells and whistles that crept in season after season.
It’s refreshing to have such a focused experience. There’s less to do, but that also means there’s more to seek out. I’ve personally noticed that players seem to be eliminated much quicker than in matches just a few days ago. Without extraneous activities, people are focused on the hunt and seeking out other players with laser focus. Matches have an ebb and flow to them now. Modern Fortnite matches feel like a sprint to the finish. There’s always something to manage. There’s always something more to do.
Players rarely take that moment to hole up somewhere and wait for another player to come by. I understand why. Movement is excitement, while stealth can be stagnation. But it’s worth noting that matches are better served for having a pacing to them where players take a few breaths between engagements and activities.
What Comes Next?
As always, Fortnite is preparing for its next jump. On December 2, we’ll see the next live event take place. This event will launch players into Chapter 5, and it’s anyone’s guess what could come next. However, this is the first time I’m wondering if what comes next is less instead of more. Every chapter and season comes with new intricacies and activities peppered into the matches. What if OG Fortnite is preparing players for something truly different? Maybe we’re getting a taste of something old, because what’s new is going to be more subdued than bombastic.
Such a chapter shift might help retain the players coming back for Fortnite OG. A more focused Fortnite could resonate with the community in a way that carries the game forward by taking this look backward. Then again, Fortnite OG could be a simple flash in the pan meant to be a little bit of fan service before jumping back into the overstuffed battle royale we’ve become so familiar with over the years. It’s anyone’s guess, but I’m certainly hoping we carry forward some of the ideas presented in this more focused version of the Fortnite island.
Fortnite
- Developer(s)
- Epic Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, iOS, Mobile, Xbox One, Android, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games