It has been almost eight years since Fortnite was launched in 2017. Through those eight years, Fortnite has foreseen many updates and seasons, and a steady decline in players. However, students are now turning back the clocks and returning to Fortnite.
Kids longed for the nostalgia of the simple game they fell in love with years ago. After Fortnite noticed its decline, the company announced that it will be bringing back its original seasons, allowing players to experience the game’s iconic early content once again. With this update, players can enjoy the regular season or the OG game mode. This move will surely excite both veteran and new gamers to experience the game’s beginnings.
Junior Justin Pera is a long-time gamer who has recently been drawn back to the game because of the recent updates.
“It rekindles the kid that used to play the game,” said Pera. “It brings my spirits up thinking about the game that brought me so much joy as a kid, [now] bringing me so much joy in my teenage years.”
For Pera and many other veteran gamers, the original gameplay holds a special place in their hearts. Not only does it bring back good memories for students, but it also makes them feel like they are still little kids trying to achieve a “Victory Royale.”
The nostalgia from the original map is also a bittersweet reminder of the game’s rapid evolution throughout the years.
“The newer seasons just got way too complicated for me to enjoy,” said senior Samuel Kohler. “The OG version is a lot simpler and in my opinion more fun than the cluttered game it became.”
Players can now relive the simpler days of Fortnite and enjoy the origins of the game. Fortnite has gone through many transformations, such as changes to the map and the introduction of different items such as cars, trains, and robots. However, what players truly want is to play a game where victories are merely about survival, strategy, and good aim. The players want a simple variety of guns, items, and mechanics. This straightforward gameplay style defined the early years of the game; its return had a huge emotional impact on gamers.
“Six, seven years ago, when I started playing the game, it was some of the best times of my life, especially when I had no friends,” said junior Avi Shah.“It was a way to make friends. You write down the username and play and it was like you were hanging out.”
For some people, this is much much more than just a game. It is a place where gamers can truly express themselves in a community that genuinely cares about them. Friends came together and bonded over the game. This led to long-lasting friendships and memories that many will never forget. Fortnite OG fills us with a warm, nostalgic feeling of the game we had so much fun playing as kids.
