Last year,Fortnitecapped off Chapter 4 with Fortnite: OG. The limited-time event brought the original Chapter 1 map back to Battle Royale from November 3 to December 2. Each week of the month lined up with a Chapter 1 season, meaning that the map and loot pool constantly evolved over the course of the event. This allowed originalFortniteplayers to not only revisit the classic map but relive their memories from Season 5 to Season X.
Fortnite: OG was a Hail Mary afterFortnite’s unpopular Chapter 4, and it paid off in a massive way. The allure of going back to Chapter 1 for one last hurrah drew in arecord-breaking player count forFortnite. On November 4, 44.7 million players hopped on the game. That day’s concurrent player count reached an all-time high of 5 million. Fortnite: OG was a huge success forFortnite, which resulted in Epic not only bringing back the Chapter 2 map this year with Chapter 2: Remix, but the company announcing that Chapter 6 would see Fortnite: OG return as a permanent mode. While this announcement has many players ecstatic, Epic Games is failing to understand what made Fortnite: OG so appealing in the first place.
Revisiting Fortnite’s Glory Days — Forever
Epic Games confirmed recent rumors thatFortnite: OG would become a permanent game modeon December 6. This time, starting with Season 1 in December, Fortnite: OG will cycle through a Chapter 1 season every month. In less than a year, players will be able to experience the entirety of Chapter 1 in both build mode and zero build. The OG event last year threw more recent sandbox items like the grapple glove and dirt bikes on to the map, but this permanent mode will remain faithful to each OG season’s loot pool.
Criticisms of Recent Fortnite Chapters
Plenty ofFortnite’s Chapter 1 playerbase have been critical of the game’s ongoing trajectory.Fortnitehas continually prioritized collaborations over original content, shifted away from its cartoony art style, and spent an increasing amount of development time on its metaverse expansion. Players longed for a simpler time, which is why they returned in droves for last year’s OG event and plan to do so again when the upcoming OG mode releases. This will certainly result in a short-term boost forFortnite, but the chances of it panning out long-term are unlikely.
The Problem with a Permanent OG Mode
Besides nostalgia, the draw of the Fortnite: OG event was its temporary nature. Players had to rush back to the game if they wanted a chance to experience that originalFortnitefeel one last time. By bringing the Chapter 1 map back permanently, Epic Games is missing the big picture.
It’s great the OG players will be able to play their favorite map at a moment’s notice, but having this unlimited access drastically increases the chances of burnout. As with many multiplayer titles, the formulaic gameplay eventually starts to lose its appeal. WhileFortnitehas combated this withnew gameplay mechanics, mid-season updates, and a regularly updated map, Fortnite: OG’s strict premise means that it can only cycle through content from Chapter 1.
Even if Fortnite: OG maintains user engagement as it goes on, it only has 10 seasons' worth of content to pull from. Once those 10 months are up, the map will likely return to its Season 1 state, and the loop will start over again. Being able to playeveryFortniteChapter 1 seasonevery year doesn’t make Chapter 1 feel special; it makes it feel repetitive. Nostalgia is Fortnite: OG’s biggest draw, but it’s hard to foster such a feeling when, as soon as someone’s favorite season ends, they don’t even have to wait a full year for its return.
Fortnite: OG’s Impact on Other Modes
Epic Games' release of Fortnite: OG will also kill off most of the momentum for Battle Royale’s Chapter 6. In addition to other popular Battle Royale games likeCall of Duty: WarzoneandApex Legends,Fortnite’s most well-known game mode will now be competing with itself. Epic Games has already been criticized for spreading both its player base and internal resources too thin by expanding intonew modes forFortnitelike LEGO Fortnite, Fortnite Festival, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Reload. This autocannibalism will only be expedited when the Fortnite: OG mode drops, so Battle Royale players should be ready to face even more bot lobbies.
While Fortnite: OG is a great idea for a temporary mode — just look at events likeOverwatch 2’sOverwatch: Classicthat have attempted to replicate its success — it loses its magic when turned into a permanent installation.Fortnite’s Battle Royale functions best as a freeway — a fast-paced environment with constantly changing scenery and chances for new memories at every off-ramp. However, Epic Games seems content with turning it into a roundabout.
Fortnite
WHERE TO PLAY
Create, play, and battle with friends for free in Fortnite. Be the last player standing in Battle Royale and Zero Build, experience a concert or live event, or discover over a million creator made games, including racing, parkour, zombie survival, and more. Each Fortnite island has an individual age rating so you can find the one that’s right for you and your friends.Explore large, destructible environments where no two games are ever the same. Team up with friends by sprinting, climbing and smashing your way to earn your Victory Royale, whether you choose to build up in Fortnite Battle Royale or go no-builds in Fortnite Zero Build.Discover even more ways to play across thousands of creator-made game genres: adventure, roleplay, survival and more. Or, band together with up to three friends to fend off hordes of monsters in Save the World.
