There are very few video games that have taken the world by storm. Notable titles such as “Minecraft” and “Grand Theft Auto” have now become household names due to their success. However, for the current generation of teenagers, one game holds a special place in their hearts: “Fortnite”.
In mid-September 2017, “Fortnite’s” Battle Royale was released and it did not take very long for it to be the talk of the gaming world. The game instantly became extremely popular due to the fact that it was free and had revolutionary game mechanics. The colorful environment and lack of gore made the game acceptable for all ages to play.
For many students here at Monte Vista, “Fortnite’s” peak was when they were in middle school or elementary school. Kids used to spend hours on end playing the game by themselves or with their friends.
“Every day after school in middle school, I played “Fortnite”,” said junior Colin Savage. “The game was so addictive that the hours flew by while we played.”
Every few months the game would produce a new season and each season was filled with brand new skins and locations to play in. However, after “Fortnite” closed its first chapter, the popularity of the game began to drop. Fans who had played the game for years began finding the game overwhelming. The game simply had too much going on. There were countless items and constant changes to the map.
Flash-forward six years after “Fortnites” initial release, Epic Games made a huge announcement that had old and new fans ecstatic. The game would introduce what they called “OG Fortnite,” which would revert back to the old maps and weapons that were previously unavailable. Social media was buzzing with people talking about how excited they were to experience the version of “Fortnite” they loved years ago. After weeks of anticipation, Epic Games finally presented “OG Fortnite” to the public on November 3.
That weekend, “Fortnite” had its biggest weekend ever, boasting 44.7 million players in the span of three days. The OG chapter started on the classic Season 5 of Chapter 1, which was initially released on July 12th, 2018. Each week, the game will transition to another past season . Epic Games announced that the promo will end in a month, closing the “OG Fortnite” Chapter of the game.
However, many people believe that the game should stick with the OG map forever.
“I love the OG game and map,” said Savage. “Fortnite before the OG version, was so boring and overcomplicated”
Nevertheless, to the sorrow of many fans, “OG Fortnite” came to an end on December 2nd. However, Epic Games did not completely crush the spirits of “OG Fortnite” lovers. On X, the company posted that the response to “OG Fortnite” was so good that the company would bring it back in 2024.
“OG Fortnite” allowed students to replicate how much “Fortnite” used to mean to them. As the pressures of high school creeped in, for many kids it was nice to take a step back and use the game as an outlet for stress relief. “Fortnite” has been an essential part of many students’ childhoods. People created core memories with their friends when playing the game. “OG Fortnite” has allowed them a chance to experience the happy memories of their past. Students and fans around the world can’t wait until “OG Fortnite” is back next year and they can once again relive the past.
