A world that’s gone to hell... with a Disney Pixar look.” That’s how Cliff Bleszinski describes Fortnite, the upcoming release from Epic Games. The guys who invented the roadie run, the Hammer of Dawn, and the chainsaw bayonet want you to say, “Epic made that?” when you play their new game.
In an interview with G4, Bleszinski calls Fortnite a “social survival game.” In the game’s daylight hours, players scramble to gather resources and build up their fort, bracing for a night of zombie hell. “You’re building up pre-fab sections of wall, as well as traps and things like that,” Bleszinski told the gaming channel.
With Fortnite, Bleszinski says Epic will be putting the “survival” back in survival horror. “A lot of games claim they’re about surviving, but they’re really about going out and killing creatures. This game is truly about enduring.” He also hints at Fortnite’s class-based gameplay, saying, “It’s one of those games where every player has a role. I’m a big fan of class based games, so one player may be very good with melee, another may be good with construction.”
Despite possible similarities to Gears of War’s Horde mode, Bleszinski says Epic chose Fortnite as its next project to avoid “pigeonholing” as macho game makers. “People think we make these dudebro games. Fortnite kind of breaks out of that.” While it’s doubtful that Epic would stray too far from their strengths, Fortnite looks like it could add much depth to the formula Bleszinski pioneered with Horde mode in Gears.
Fortnite has a rather bare official site, with no platform information or release dates yet announced, so keep building your stockpiles and reinforcing those walls in preparation for the coming undead storm.
