I’ve spent countless hours immersed in the world of Fortnite this year, and I’ve been pondering what exactly draws me and so many others to this game. On the surface, it’s undeniably fun to play. However, my usual experience with multiplayer games is short-lived. I often find myself frustrated by constant defeats, unable to keep pace with seasoned players, or simply losing interest after a while. Fortnite, however, is different. It transcends the typical game experience and becomes something more profound: Where In Fortnite, we’re all choosing to spend our time together.
Fortnite has evolved beyond just a game; it’s become the modern-day social hub, taking the place of malls, coffee shops, or just aimlessly wandering around town. It’s become the sought-after ‘third place’ for millions globally. This realization truly resonated with me when I encountered a thought-provoking thread on Twitter recently:
It’s not that they’re that good… they’re not. It’s that for them, the game is background noise. Fortnite isn’t a game, it’s a place. — Anoop Ranganath (@anoopr) December 10, 2018
Since being introduced to Fortnite by a friend earlier this year, I’ve been consistently playing at least four days a week. This highlights one of Fortnite’s initial hurdles: its learning curve can be steep for newcomers. Many try it solo, find it overwhelming, and give up quickly – I was almost one of them.
Fortnite’s vastness and initial complexity stem from its open-ended nature. You’re launched from a flying Battle Bus across a sprawling map, free to land virtually anywhere. Whether you team up or go solo is your choice, thrusting you into a frantic search for weapons, resources, and gear before encountering another player.
Fortnite gameplay scene showing characters in a battle royale match
The true virality of Fortnite lies in its social transmission. If a friend guides you through the initial steps, you’re almost instantly captivated. I’ve witnessed this firsthand within my own social circle. I’m likely responsible for introducing many of my friends to the game, and now I see them online constantly, despite their initial skepticism. It spreads organically – friend to friend, creating a chain reaction.
Now, my various friend groups from around the world are buzzing with activity across Telegram, Discord, and Slack. Someone will drop a message like “@fortnite where we dropping?” and suddenly, a group of us are logging in. I’m part of at least ten different Telegram groups specifically for people I regularly play with.
We log in to “play,” but the reality is, we’re primarily there to hang out. Fortnite’s integrated voice chat makes it incredibly easy to jump into a conversation, catch up on the day, discuss life, or anything else that comes to mind, almost without consciously thinking about it. We’re engaging with the game, dropping from the Battle Bus every ten minutes for a new round, but the real draw is the shared time and social interaction.
Remarkably, I’ve likely spent more time talking with my friends living overseas through Fortnite’s voice chat than I have through direct calls in the four years since I moved abroad. Even with friends in the same city, we connect far more frequently through quick Fortnite sessions, catching up while playing a few rounds.
To an outsider, these voice chats might sound like utter chaos.
One moment, I might be discussing a coding problem or recounting my day, and the next, it’s punctuated by shouts of “SNIPER AT 250!” as everyone scrambles for cover. Then, just minutes later, we’re all eliminated and back in the lobby, transitioning seamlessly back to calm, real-world conversations, sprinkled with comments about a new skin or dance emote someone unlocked.
Unconsciously, this became my daily routine: check the group chats, jump into voice chat, drop into Fortnite, play, and repeat for hours. I initially believed it was about the game itself, but it gradually dawned on me that it was really about who was online and the joy of connecting with friends while engaging in a shared activity. As someone from a generation that often avoids phone calls, I find myself effortlessly chatting away in Fortnite without a second thought.
What is it about Fortnite that fosters this phenomenon, unlike previous virtual worlds like Second Life, which offered extensive customization and world-building capabilities? Firstly, Fortnite is a far more engaging and dynamic “place” to simply be.
A group of Fortnite characters standing in a game environment
However, its unique appeal lies in its role as a great equalizer: Fortnite is completely free to play for anyone, on virtually any device globally. I play with friends on Xbox, PS4, iOS, Android, PC, and Nintendo Switch – a level of cross-platform compatibility practically unheard of for two decades! Typically, you’re confined to playing with friends on the same platform, limiting your pool of potential gaming buddies. But Fortnite breaks down these barriers, allowing me to connect with anyone, regardless of their console or computer setup.
The fact that Fortnite is free-to-play is massively understated. Socioeconomic status becomes irrelevant; anyone can jump in and participate. Yes, there are optional in-game purchases like dances (emotes), exclusive character skins, and other virtual items, but they are entirely cosmetic and not required to enjoy the core experience. Many of us opt for the seasonal ‘Battle Pass,’ which offers a progression system to unlock collectibles through gameplay, rather than purchasing items individually.
Adding to its allure is Fortnite’s constantly evolving world. The map layout, available locations, weapons, and items are in a perpetual state of flux, often changing every couple of weeks. This constant metamorphosis keeps the game fresh and compels us to re-learn and adapt – mirroring the ever-changing nature of the real world. This dynamism subtly draws you back in, fueled by curiosity about what’s new and the opportunity to reconnect with friends in this altered landscape.
Fortnite’s influence extends beyond the digital realm. The game’s quirky dances have become a cultural phenomenon, recognized and performed in real-life social settings, acting as a signal of belonging, much like Seinfeld references did in the TV era. Every in-game moment is automatically recorded, infinitely replayable, and easily shared when something remarkable occurs.
We share highlight reels of funny moments, unique strategies, or impressive victories when we’re offline, and engage with memes from platforms like Reddit, where a vast community shares similar experiences, fostering laughter, discussion, and learning from skilled players. While I don’t consider myself a pro player, I genuinely enjoy the cycle of playing, getting eliminated, and starting anew, because the game itself is almost secondary to the social interaction.
Two Fortnite characters interacting in a playful manner within the game
In my mid-twenties, I recognize there are likely even deeper layers to this phenomenon that I’m not fully grasping. However, I feel part of something larger, a shared experience where we all have a common ground – the game itself. Age becomes less relevant; whether you’re 13 or 27, you understand the memes, and you’re participating in the same unfolding, shared digital experience.
In a world where social media can often feel toxic, overwhelming, and unsafe, many have pondered where the next genuine social network will emerge. Will groups retreat to private platforms like Telegram, or will a completely new service arise? Perhaps we overlooked the answer: Fortnite is already here. It’s the evolving social network, increasingly becoming a substitute for real-world hangouts, a virtual space where you connect and converse with friends while engaging in a shared activity.
Much has been written about whether Fortnite is addictive, detrimental to children, and other concerns. However, fewer narratives highlight the positive aspects – the improved sense of connection and shared experience it offers, especially compared to the often-combative nature of online interactions elsewhere. In Fortnite, I can easily mute negativity and focus on communicating with my friends, fostering connections more frequently than ever before, all facilitated by a free-to-play game.
Why is there such strong disapproval of kids playing Fortnite, while spending hours on the phone as teenagers was considered perfectly acceptable? There’s a societal bias against video games, often labeling them as “time-wasting.” Yet, is it fundamentally different from any other form of leisure activity in youth? I found this podcast with Shopify’s CEO insightful, where he discusses the positive influence of gaming on his career. It’s time to re-evaluate our preconceived notions about video games.
Like it or not, Fortnite has become the new hangout. The contemporary living room, the evolved ‘third place.’ It’s akin to going to church or the mall, but with the added dimension of a vast, dynamic universe to explore and interact with together, regardless of where in the world you are.
