With the population of users exploding to all time highs and Fortnite continuing to grow; why are OG Fortnite pros dropping like flies and not coming back to the game? Things have changed a lot since I started to play Fortnite. That was back in OG Season 4. In this blog I'll talk about the decline and popularity of Fortnite and possibly what Fortnite could do to bring more OG players back.
Fortnite has more players than ever before but all the OG players have been turned off by how much the NPC Bot player skill based matchmaking system has changed the game. In a community interview I keep getting a resounding "yes" that this indeed is the case. It may not be the only factor but it is a major factor.
Fortnite is not dead but by their business model of newness and hype over changes is a double edged sword. On one side they create prolifically and everyone is excited over changes or nervous; often a bit of both. On the other side all the changes add more opportunity for people to not like or become exhausted over so many changes. What we once loved can feel swept under the rug forever. Nostalgia and what the game used to be has displaced many OG players from the game. Not all changes are bad...
Fortnite added no builds and climbing walls at the beginning of Season 3 Chapter 3. They also added a permanent no builds mode which was cool and effectively brought some people back to the game who were frustrated with builders being so good. For me it isn't Fortnite without BR builds so I always play builds BR.
I have definitely enjoyed the sliding jumping to ledges mobility mechanics they added; they were implemented very well. In fact, I have detected a lot less glitches in game play at the start and during changes made within seasons. Fortnite is really pulling out all the stops in development and catching glitches before a season or meta is launched. But there's still something wildly lacking in Fortnite for the OGs. Maybe there's a simple lack of recognition for OG players?
WHAT would make Fortnite NOT bad...
Imagine if there were benefits for OG players, or your name displays different because of the age of your account. People like recognition. The OGs are also a tough breed who like challenge. We used to drop into lobbies (potentially) with tfue and ninja dancing down on us. It was part of the thrill of Fortnite. No skill based ranked match making. Just grit and guts to press that play button.
OH! Wouldn't it be great if there should was a skin and item trade in system? Even if it's just a small amount of returned vbucks for trade ins it would clear up some of our overrun inventories of stuff we will never use. A lot of it we own because it was simply part of a battle pass season. Or implement a storage to hide skins and items at least so you can put them away! People who play for a long time get so many skins; even just that part becomes annoying (plus crew packs).
For OGs it would be cool if they stopped offering Chapter 1 skins too for crying out loud! Discontinue Chapter 1 skins completely and make it so you have to trade in other skins just to access some of the OG clout sweat skins. And make some of the the Chapter 1 skins purely exclusive. If you are OG enough there could be skins in the shop only able to be purchased by OGs. "Sorry you're not OG enough to buy this skin but you can drool over it in the item shop kids."
Make it so that when you meet an OG untouchable skin there's a bit of a glow around the person at close range when you see them eye to eye. That would not give OG players an advantage. It would simply be for clout and making people poop their pants in your presence. Imagine any time there was a sweat skin (like soccer or super) they also have the aura around them; just a glowing soccer skin cranking at you... priceless. I'd loose my cool for sure. "A pleasure to be rekt by you ser. You are a god."
The most annoying thing is they drop OG stuff in the item shop. At least they have yet to offer any OG battle pass skin as a shop skin. Even though that's true they still cheapen them by changing or updating the skins. "We can't give you the OG battle pass john wick looking skin but we can give you... John Wick." Frankly though, I'm still kind of waiting for them to give the Ramirez white astronaut suit or some update to Dark Vanguard for me so it can go helmetless and be other colors at least.
The short of it is if they want people to be loyal and engaged they have to do more like this stuff. Some people have Season 1 battle pass accounts but have grown so apathetic as recognition declines. Even my Season 5 Chapter 1 account at this point is pretty OG
What do you think qualifies as a real OG account?
At this point Chapter 1 is OG. I've said this on stream and gotten blowback in Chapter 2. Now it might be different but I believe it is now even more accurate but real OG is Season 1 and 2 for many people. Back then the seasons were quite long too. So 2 seasons of Fortnite is a sizeable chunk of time. Fortnite didn't even expect their Battle Royale would be so popular. It came out of nowhere. I bet people freaked out as the very first season rolled over, mind blown OGs.
Season 4 sweats were starting to crank 90s season 5 they were ramping and doing some pretty sick stuff, though simple compared to today. Season 4 and 5 is where the OGs started to die off I guess. Which was the time I started to play. With no skill based match making I was still dumped into lobbies (potentially) with ninja and tfue... and I even have a video of me thinking tfue was trolling me in game but not killing me.
OG players and pros came back for the Kevin stuff then kind dipped. Some of those OG streamers like tfue didn't track with the pro Fortniter generation that took over. He and many others eventually gave up because of the skills getting too insane and Zens hacking type stuff going on; ridiculousness.
I guess with the example of Olympic athletes we see that there will always be people pushing the line of what is acceptable and some crossing that line for the competitive edge. You see it in sports and business. It makes sense to play close to the edge of the rules. The issue is when people cross the lines so often it forces those who wouldn't cross the line to cross the line; or simply risk coming in last because because they refuse to hack the game.
RIP Fortnite. You are forever changed. There are now more than ever more people playing. But the game is not what it used to be. That can be both a good thing or a bad thing. Most of the changes in my opinion have been good making it more widely playable. But the simple fact remains:
Many of the changes have changed what the word Fortnite means to OGs.
Shoot for the stars! Dream big. Never stop dreaming. Make and form your future, the future you want. We are constantly adapting and changing to life and our games have moments that live in our memories forever.
We will never be without cherished moments if we look to the future and make it a place we want to be, a place we are creative and make our impact, a place where we are in control of the changes that are made. Our creativity making possible the enjoyment and memory building spaces for others.
Shoot for the stars.
- ZymaPro
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