Fortnite is smashing its concurrent player record thanks to the return of the original Chapter 1 map

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 5
(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite's latest season is offering a trip back in time, and players are well and truly here for it.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season OG lets you battle like it's 2018 with the return of classic locales, weapons, and more. Throughout the season, each major update will add "a different phase of Battle Royale's past," and Epic is kicking things off with Chapter 1 Season 5. 

There's clearly a lot of love for the old content, as in the hours since Season OG went live, Fortnite has managed to smash its concurrent player record. According to the website Fortnite.gg, the game's all-time player peak now sits at 3,913,817.

Public player records only go back as far as April 2023, so based on the information available, the previous record was 2,817,867, which was reached back in August with the arrival of Chapter 4 Season 4. 

These are some impressive figures, especially considering the game is now in its sixth year, and there's every chance it will continue to beat its concurrent record in the coming weeks.

Over on Twitter, Fortnite fans have been celebrating the news and the return of the familiar and much-loved content. "Rightfully deserved after bringing the good times back," one wrote. Another said, "They deserve it. This is fantastic." 

Back in September, Fortnite veteran Donald Mustard announced he was retiring from his role as Epic's chief creative officer. "I am especially proud of the opportunity I've had to help create and shape Fortnite," he said. "I can't wait to now share in the future of Fortnite as a player alongside all of you!"

For more epic battle royale action, check out our guide to games like Fortnite.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.