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Over the years, Fortnite has gone through several ups and downs, resulting in losing players. Although new loopers replace the old ones, the cycle continues. It's a never-ending balancing act of loss and gain.
It's not all downhill all the time. At certain intervals, the game does manage to bring back more players to the game than were lost, to begin with. That said, here are a few times when the game has lost players and when they get back more than anticipated.
These three things caused Fortnite to lose players
1) Primal Season crafting mechanics
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Personally, the crafting mechanics were not terrible, but they lacked finesse. Implementing crafting into a Battle Royale game was a bold move that never panned out. Since each match lasts 22 minutes, there's barely enough time to harvest materials and move from zone to zone.
Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted, but during the timeframe, it ticked off many players. Bringing in mechanics that added more dynamics to the game without adding value to players didn't bode well for many. While Chapter 2 Season 6 was great, this tiny flaw caused a lot of loopers to sit out until the next season.
2) Apple versus Epic lawsuit
When it comes to losing players, the Apple versus Epic lawsuit locked out 116 million players from Fortnite. Given that the total playbase was about 350 million, 1/3 of iOS players disappeared overnight. While the game is still accessible, there's not much that can be done about it.
Fortnite on iOS devices has been stuck in Chapter 2 Season 3 for two years. With Apple and Epic still butting heads, there's no knowing when things will return to normal. For the time being, all iOS users can do is hope for a swift resolution.
3) Poor SBMM
While the above two examples are specific points in the game's timeline, poor SBMM has been consistent since Fortnite began. According to the community, skill-based matchmaking either works well or not. It's either all bots or sweaty players. There's no in-between.
This may not be an issue for those who play in competitive mode, but for the average player, the game becomes unplayable. Most quit after a few attempts and come back at the start of a new season, while others quit completely and never look back.
These three things brought back players in droves to Fortnite
1) Zero Build
The Zero Build is a huge "W" for Epic Games. Since not everyone is adept at building, being able to play Fortnite without building is godsent. Players can now focus solely on fighting and collecting loot. In some instances, it even balanced out SBMM for a while.
The new mode is so successful that the developers are working on another mode featuring the same Zero Build mechanics. It will be a 40 versus 40 Battle Royale with SBMM, no respawn, lethal storms, short matches and players will start with a decent loadout.
2) Chapter 3 Season 1
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 was one of the most hyped-up seasons. It had everything a looper could have asked for and more. Spider-Man and The Foundation were Battle Pass skins. Spider-Man's Web-Shooters were hailed as the best mythic items of all time.
The Daily Bugle became a POI on the island, and sliding mechanics were also introduced to the game. Creative Mode even got reworked. Chapter 3 Season 1 was so hyped that servers crashed multiple times in the first few days.
3) Over-the-top collaborations (Naruto and Goku)
In Chapter 2 Season 8, Team Seven made their way to the island. While there's no exact data to showcase how much Epic Games earned from the crossover, it can be said that the game was hyped for weeks. Many players returned to Fortnite to buy cosmetics.
More recently, the Dragon Ball collaboration had a similar effect. With characters such as Goku and Beerus in-game, many players logged back in to buy the cosmetics. Given that these are time-limited, there's no telling when or if they'll be back once vaulted.
Note: This article contains the author's views, and readers' opinions will vary.
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