If leakers are to be believed, a new mode for Fortnite is allegedly in the works.
You can’t deny that Fortnite always receives constant support from its developers. Since its release, Epic Games has constantly been pushing the envelope of what a battle royale game can achieve. There’s never a dull moment in Fortnite, and if things go stale, it only happens for a short time. With Epic’s sights set on creating new experiences for their players, they’ve added all sorts of stuff to their game. This usually comes in the form of new Fortnite items they’ll showcase throughout a season or collab skins (Naruto, Dune, Spiderman crossover, etc.). By far, though, the most significant feature they’ve added to Fortnite was the Zero Build mode. Despite the critics saying that Zero Build mode is merely a stunt, it was a resounding success—new and old players with Fortnite accounts arrived in droves to flock to it.
Now, it looks like leaks are suggesting that Epic Games is currently tinkering with the idea of adding a full first-person camera mode. It’s still in development—allegedly. Could this be added in Fortnite as a separate game mode, or will it be an optional camera setting that every player can access?
HYPEX Spills the Tea
One of the most reputable leakers in the Fortnite community, HYPEX, took to Twitter when he claimed that Epic Games is working on a first-person mode for the battle royale. The leaker didn’t elaborate further when it came down to the details, though, claiming that there’s no additional content at the moment. HYPEX shared a screenshot of the mode in action to substantiate his claim further.
Keeping the Competition At Bay
So far, the only available information that we have is that the development of this mode is still in its infancy; it likely won’t appear for a while until Epic Games has genuinely tested everything out. HYPEX commented that the first-person mode would be an excellent fit for Zero Build mode, as combining both aspects would make Fortnite more like its competition: PUBG and Call of Duty: Warzone.
PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) lets players choose between a first-person and third-person perspective (some servers even let you switch views), while Call of Duty: Warzone is first-person only; neither of these games features building mechanics. If Fortnite were to potentially offer a similar choice and combine it with its traditional and Zero Build mode, it would directly compete with these two games.
Also, having a first-person mode in Fortnite would return Epic Games to its roots. Before Epic’s rise to stardom through Fortnite, they were primarily known for their first-person shooter, Unreal. If we take a look back further, the last traditional FPS Epic made was Bulletstorm—developed over a decade ago. Sure the company is all about the battle royale these days, but if they have a knack for creating FPS, why not bring that talent over to Fortnite?
Fortnite Reimagined
If you were already playing Fortnite in 2018, chances are the concept of adding a first-person to the game isn’t anything new. That’s because the community had already started imagining what a first-person mode could have looked like during that time. Thanks to the YouTuber Max Box, a first-person mode was introduced to Fortnite through a specially designed mod. The mod was glitchy, no thanks to its being as simple as changing the camera’s position without the rest of the game’s mechanics. Nevertheless, it provided a glimpse of what could have been, and it excited the members of the Fortnite community to see FPS mechanics in action for their favorite game.
Why Should Epic Games Add A First-Person Mode for Fortnite?
The player count figures for Fortnite are reportedly stable. Still, competition in an oversaturated market is fierce, which might be why Epic Games decided that now is the perfect time to build a first-person mode for their game.
The growing popularity of Apex Legends and the premier of Warzone 2 in 2023 might have made Epic pull the trigger to add the mode. Plus, this feature has been requested by fans for many years; maintaining a healthy and happy community could be the other reason why they’re looking to introduce “proper” FPS mechanics in Fortnite now.
Showing Positivity
You’ve already experienced playing Fortnite in a first-person view before, especially if you’re an assault or sniper rifle user; however, fully committing to a first-person experience is yet to be done in Fortnite.
Fortnite account owners have reacted positively to this news, with many agreeing with HYPEX’s sentiments that the first-person camera would fit perfectly with the battle royale’s Zero Build mode. Since disabling building mechanics means more leeway for mechanical and aiming skills to shine, having a first-person perspective would immensely help determine the outcome of the fights.
There’s no word yet on when the mode will release, but it’ll likely take some time before we hear anything from Epic about this.
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