Epic Games' Fortnite team recently announced that the game now has video chat for players to view each other while playing the game by using the Houseparty app. Just as Fortnite gets a new bundle, players will be able to visually connect with each other while playing in-game events.
Fortnite has video chat now because Epic Games had acquired the Houseparty app last year and integrated the app's video chat technology to use with the game. The Houseparty video chat will be available on the PC, PS4, and PS5, and players will need to link their Epic Games and Houseparty accounts together. Players will need to install the app on an Android or iOS mobile device, set up an account, and link them together. After that, players will be able to access the video chat for Fortnite and will even get a bonus Rainbow Fog Wrap.
The process of installing the Houseparty app is fairly simple. Players will need to open the app on their mobile device and connect to Fortnite through either Settings or the TV icon. Then they just have to either join or invite their friends to the chat and start playing in any major Fortnite locations with video chat. The Houseparty app will crop everything out and focus on players' faces during the chat with a Fortnite-themed virtual background.
Only players' Houseparty friends and any friends in the Houseparty "room" can be part of the chat. The friends in the Houseparty room are the only ones who can see each others' video on the app. If someone in the chat is streaming Fortnite gameplay or recording video on their end, then the members in the chat will show up as well. If players need to, they can block someone by tap the member's face and pressing Block or use Houseparty's Report Player menu to report someone, unfriend them, and block them from joining the party.
Players will be able to keep others from joining their Houseparty room whenever they want by just tapping a lock icon, and anyone in the room can unlock it anytime. Parents and guardians will be able to use Fortnite's Parental Controls to manage their children's video chat since users must be 13 years or older to make a Houseparty account in the first place.
At the moment, the Houseparty video chat is not accessible to all gaming platforms except PC and PlayStation, so Xbox and Switch Fortnite players won't be able to use it. The plans to update fans if it's possible to support more in the foreseeable future. Until then, only PC and PlayStation players will be able to make the most of Fortnite's new video chat.
Fortnite is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Epic Games