Fortnite is Comfort Food
How playing for the first time in months brought back pleasant memories
This afternoon, I jumped into Fortnite for the first time in months. Updating the game alone took over an hour, but everything ran smoothly once I could get in. And after playing for roughly 45 minutes, I have a few thoughts.
First, I found that while I still have almost no skill at all in this game, it was still fun. The experience of trying to last for as long as possible in a hostile world is still one I enjoy a lot, even if I play the game somewhat unconventionally. And second, I’m glad this game exists and I can still play it. Fortnite is comforting in its constant change. There’s always something new to check out when I feel like logging on.
For my first game after my long absence, I jumped in, rode the bus until nearly the end of the island, and finally set out in search of weapons. My approach in Fortnite has always been to lie low, look for resources, and avoid conflict unless it’s absolutely necessary. I know this strategy is considered “cheap” by many, and I’m so bad at actually firefights that it usually ends in defeat, but it’s the only way I’ve really enjoyed playing Fortnite. I stuck with this strategy.
Like my matches usually do, this one ended in defeat when I ran into someone I couldn’t avoid fairly late in the game. I like to think that I put up a fair fight, but the other player dispatched me pretty quickly. And since I hadn’t spent much time fighting before my demise, I didn’t have good enough weapons to keep up. Undeterred, a few minutes later, I jumped into another game.
My second time around, I did a little better. I managed to eliminate a few other players and ended up in the final three before getting unceremoniously gunned down by a shotgun-wielding tree. This time though, I actually felt like I held my own for the most part. My kills weren’t graceful or overly skilled, but I avoided death until pretty late in the game by sneaking up on players and taking advantage of a few even less talented than I.
These two games brought back some memories and nostalgia. I played Fortnite for the first time way back in the fall of 2017, right when its famous Battle Royale mode came out and right before it became a cultural behemoth. Since that time, so much has changed. I play rarely enough that I’m always amazed at the new mechanics and location, at least as long as I can survive to look at them. The game’s famous island has changed so many times since its inception that it’s essentially an entirely new place at this point.
And I find this constant change to be strangely comforting. I know that Fortnite will always look new and interesting in some way whenever I jump in. And the changes aren’t actually all that difficult to adapt to, either, especially since I’m not that invested in what happens. There’s usually a few new locations, some new ways of getting around the world, or a new development in the game’s simple (but ongoing) story. Fortnite changes its map and mechanics to try to keep its loyal players hooked, not to entice casual ones like me to jump on once a month or so. But, I still appreciate that the game is there for me whenever I want it.
All this to say, I still like Fortnite a lot, even if I don’t play it very often. I don’t have the energy or appetite to really try to improve my skills, so losing early or late in a match doesn’t bother me. I’m happy being a player who will hide in houses until near the end of the game, providing easy cannon fodder for the few skilled players still dueling it out at that point.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.
