Hands shaking, palms sweaty, heart pumping, one guy left between you and the victory royale. These are the feelings many students across WJ first experienced while playing Fortnite, and recently the game has made an incredible comeback with the relaunch of Chapter One from its very first day on October 26, 2017.
From the very first day of the new season on Nov. 3, players worldwide flooded the servers reaching an all-time high of 44.7 million in one day. After years of decline, Fortnite has returned better than ever and it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without hearing someone mention the name.
Many students would agree that Fortnite is one of the best video games of all time for various reasons, but many loved its cartoony graphics and the simplicity the old map and weapons brought to the game. Especially now as Fortnite has developed, the game has moved away from this classic feel and brought a whole new realistic atmosphere to the game. This old map and loot pool are what evokes nostalgia for many players who have wanted them to return for a long time. After refusing to bring it back for many years, Epic Games finally gave in, which makes a lot of old players very excited to return.
“I miss when the game was simpler and when they brought back the original map and loot pool, it made the game feel very fun again,” senior Felix Ozpaker said.
With the return of the old map and the pure excitement that comes with it, many are flooded with old memories from the first times playing back in early middle school. Whether or not it’s a first win, an amazing trick shot, or maybe even a funny memory from playing with friends, it’s what makes Fortnite so unique. As many players go to different spots on the map they remember different things, bringing back old emotions, something that not many other games are capable of doing.
“Season seven, with Calix, New Year’s Eve 2019 was my favorite memory. I had a minigun and he had a shotgun, we were at The Block spraying the guy down with the minigun, and boom, Calix with the shotgun, 200 pump, we won the game,” senior Aquiles Foendador said.
As this season comes to an end and a new one begins, many of the old players don’t want to see change. On one hand, many students only came back for the chapter one map and weapons, and many don’t want to play if this isn’t an option. On the other hand, some are more willing to see what Epic Games does next.
“I hope they keep bringing back the OG season because that’s the best part of Fortnite and the more they add to it the worse it gets. However, I do like the new creative features that make it more like a Roblox-type game,” junior Amit Sabba said.
While there are many critiques about the new Chapter 5 season, whether it be the movement, gun customization, and map, not all players see it as bad. Some players like the new additions and changes to the game.
“Despite all the hate the new season is getting, I think it’s still a good game, and the changes with all the new weapon attachments and new running style is kind of cool,” senior Dalton Orsak said.
