Fortnite is officially back and all of the “OG” players are getting back into the game. Players from 2017 who haven’t played in years are loading back into Fortnite lobbies, but why? What is making all of these players come back? There is an answer and it is all about nostalgia.
On November 3rd, 2023 the new Fortnite OG season dropped on all platforms. The hype was built up for months and everyone was waiting for the time to come, to load back into the Fortnite lobbies with their old squad. All of the old locations and weapons are back in the game for players to use while reminiscing about the “good old days.” Although everything is “OG,” did the new season really live up to the hype? When asked, Senior Ethan Alloca says “it will never be the same. No matter what they do.” It seems as though Fortnite will never have the same feel as it did in 2017. Regardless of how people feel, the lobbies are more full than ever, recording a record high 44.7 million players on the game on Saturday, November 4th, 2023. Clearly, Fortnite is back, but for how long is the question? The new OG season is set to end on December 2nd, 2023. With time quickly expiring, players are finding ways to play for as long as they can, as often as they can. Players on November 4th, 2023 recorded 102 million hours of gameplay in one day, the most in Fortnite history.
There is an argument as to why Epic Games released this new OG season and it may have to do with lawsuits about the tactics used to get players to buy skins and wraps. “Dark patterns and other deceptive tricks” were the alleged strategies used by Epic Games, according to an article by the Federal Trade Commission. Epic Games was sued for $245 million dollars which is being used to refund players who made unwanted purchases. Could this be the reason for the launch of the new OG season?
Regardless of these “deceptive tricks” and “dark patterns”, the only thing that’s certain is people love Fortnite. Sure there was a time for a few years when the amount of players significantly dropped and it was almost considered “dead”, but the masterminds at Epic Games are always looking for ways to bring players back. The overwhelming number of returning players in the new Fortnite OG season reinforces the love for the game and reminds gamers how much fun they have playing Fortnite.