As successful as Fortnite has been in rising to the top of the saturated battle royale genre, it is equally impressive how the title has been able to maintain and consolidate its imposing presence and relevance within the industry. While the game redefined monetization norms by popularizing the likes of seasonal battle passes, the way in which the title weaves its seasonal narratives has likely also played a key role in the release's continued popularity.
One of the main ways in which Fortnite uniquely advances its lore and narratives is via the use of in-game live events, in which matches are consumed by dynamic and interactive events that can change the landscape of a map, introduce huge pivotal characters, and much more. These events can even take non-canon forms, such as hosting live concerts with popular musicians, which opens up avenues for massive collaborations between Fortnite and other popular media, brands, and companies.
Season 3: The Meteor
Season 3 of Fortnite occurred in early 2018 and marked one of the first and most high-profile live events that would go on to shape the narrative storytelling of the title in a hugely influential way. Throughout Season 3, fans noticed a meteor in the sky-box of Fortnite's map, which grew larger and larger as the season went on.
This led to a huge amount of fan speculation as to what the meteor could herald, typifying how beneficial live events are in shaping community involvement and discourse around the title's seasons and narratives. To mark the transition between Season 3 and Season 4, the meteor eventually crashed into the map, completely destroying the iconic point of interest Dusty Depot, with it being replaced by a huge crater known as Fortnite's Dusty Divot in the subsequent season.
Travis Scott's Astronomical
Fortnite held a live event concert with famous rapper Travis Scott, with the event being called Astronomical and running throughout April 2020. The event was massively advertised and anticipated, with Fortnite releasing several challenges in the days leading up to the event which would reward players with unique and time-limited in-game cosmetics relating to Travis Scott.
With a total of five screenings being held to adhere to different time zones, the Astronomical live event saw a bombastic display of eccentric astrological motifs light up the sky of Fortnite's map, with a giant-sized Travis Scott performing in Fortnite on a stage made out of meteoric debris. Travis Scott would then teleport around the map along with players while performing an extensive set list of his most popular songs, with players being imbued with things like antigravity to further boost the interactivity and memorability of the experience.
Season X: The End
One of the most important and directly impactful events in Fortnite's history came with the culminating "The End" event for the mysterious Season X in 2019. As the name suggests, this particular live event marked the end of the first chapter of Fortnite, marking a huge shift in the game's mechanics, style, and associated imagery.
The happenings within The End live event were befitting of such a momentous occasion. For example, the event involved an ancient entity known as Fortnite's Zero Point, which is said to have been the source of all living things within the known Fortnite universe. With rifts breaking through the fabric of reality around the map and rockets being launched in an attempt to intercept another incoming meteor, players could bear witness to some huge developments within the lore of Fortnite organically as they occurred thanks to this event.
With the meteor eventually colliding with the aforementioned Zero Point, the subsequent burst of energy was so great that the entire original map of Fortnite was sucked into it, along with any players participating in the live event. These players were then transferred to an ominous void with cryptic clues, marking the end of the season and making way for Chapter 2 of Fortnite and an entirely new map.
Season 9 - The Final Showdown
It is easy to see why the main live event for Season 9 of Fortnite is considered to be one of the most memorable live events the game has ever seen, given the scale and involved content of it. Taking place in July 2019, the Final Showdown event of Season 9 saw a gigantic monster face off against an equally sized robot within Fortnite's map, leading to huge destruction.
Players could only watch as the Godzilla-like monster entered the map from the surrounding ocean, with the monster seemingly being driven to destroy the aforementioned Zero Point ball of energy. The mech was then deployed to fight against the monster, leading to a lengthy and well-choreographed battle that saw widespread destruction and carnage. The mech eventually absorbed some power from The Zero Point, subsequently being able to wield a devastating sword that made killing the monster a much easier feat.
With the mech coming out of the bout victorious, several celebratory items and emotes were released to commemorate the live event, making it even more historic for any players who were in attendance. There have been numerous live events within Fortnite over the years and there will likely be many more, but it is clear that some stand out above the rest thanks to the scale and narrative influence of what they entail.
Fortnite is available for mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.