By Sam Hurst

Image credit: Epic Games.

As many gamers already know, epic news surfaced in the world of gaming this fall: after weeks of rumors and anticipation from fans, Fortnite reverted back to its first season on November 3, providing four weeks of nostalgic playing before ending what the internet dubbed “Fortnite ‘OG'” on December 2.

For those who are unfamiliar with Fortnite, it’s a third-person, action-packed battle royale game where 100 players parachute onto an island and are left to fend for themselves. The players collect weapons and loot in hopes of achieving the coveted Victory Royale. The game was released in 2017 by Epic Games and rose to popularity in 2018, and its hype has grown significantly since then. By 2020, millions of kids around the world, sheltered in their homes due to COVID-19 restrictions, had immersed themselves in this incredibly entertaining game. While I wouldn’t consider myself a video game enthusiast, I must confess that I, too had an amazing time with the game. Fortnite allowed me to create countless unforgettable memories with my friends online, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortnite loading screen. Image credit: Variety.com.

Many of the original Fortnite players, myself included, have either switched to other games or stopped playing video games altogether. Players abandoned the game both because of the changing layout of the game and the rising levels of a younger, more skilled generation that has taken over the game. These young players have quickly surpassed most of our skill levels.

Even though it’s been a while, almost three years, since many of my peers last played, everyone was eager to reboot their consoles and parachute back into the world of Fortnite with the release of Fortnite “OG.” Before the release, avid gamer Charlie Miller (‘24) illustrated his enthusiasm for the Fortnite update by saying, “Looks like Christmas came early this year. I can’t wait to drop Tilted Towers with the boys!”

After Epic Games posted “Sprint (or mantle) your way back to Season 1” on Oct. 27, the gaming world erupted into excitement and anticipation. As November 3 drew closer, Fortnite became a major topic of conversation among individuals of various age groups, from middle schoolers to college students. My younger brother Beau Hurst (‘27) joked about going into “Fortnite hibernation” during the days after the release.

Little to my surprise, the Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 5 update was nothing short of a hit. After school finished on Friday, November 3, I raced home to join my friends and jump into the new Fortnite update. Upon loading into the game, it met all my expectations. Nostalgia rushed through my body as I landed on the same island I had explored back in 2018. Jack Dooley (‘25) described the new update as a “time machine that brought me back to 7th Grade.” Others around Collegiate described it as going back to “the good ‘ol days.” Along with my friends, millions of players worldwide rebooted their consoles and joined the servers alongside us.

Image credit: Epic Games.

Fans of the game were brought back to the “OG” stages of 2018, relishing classic weapons like the shopping cart and the iconic location, Tilted Towers. Only a day after the release, an unofficial stat site, Fortnite.gg, reported a staggering 6.2 million concurrent users, marking an all-time high. I can vouch for the likely accuracy of this stat, because, for the first time ever, I found myself stuck in a 12-minute waiting queue before diving into the action. Epic Games also tweeted that November 5 was, “the biggest day in Fortnite history,” with a whopping 44.7 million players jumping into the game for more than 102 million hours of gameplay. This statistic drastically contrasts the usual daily player count of 15 million, showing just how many players returned to the game. 

After its initial release on November 3, the game rapidly progressed through five seasons and ended with Season X, marking the culmination of the Fortnite “OG” season. These updates brought back iconic weapons, cosmetics, cities like Greasy Grove, Quadcrashers, Junk Rifts, the Burst Assault Rifle, and more.

For me, this update held a special significance, feeling like a reunion not only with my friends but with the golden days of gaming. I’m grateful to have had the chance to relive the fun of Fortnite. The return of iconic elements, the camaraderie with friends, and the thrill of chasing Victory Royales have brought back countless memories. Rhodes Sinnott (‘24) aptly described it as “more than an update, but a journey back in time.” 

Featured image credit: Epic Games.