It’s 12 a.m. on a school night, and you will find that most students up at this hour aren’t planning tomorrow’s big presentation or doing extra credit — they are likely playing “Fortnite Battle Royale.”

According to Trinity junior Brett Pfaadt, “Fortnite is game changing. It’s a third-person shooting game on all platforms where 100 people land on an island, find loot and fight to the death.”

Or as junior Justin Conrad, puts it, “It’s a 100-man battle royale.”

All the hype around “Fortnite” originates from a rise in popularity for battle royale video games.  “PlayerUnkown’s Battlegrounds” is another example of the battle royale genre and the biggest competitor for “Fortnite” at the moment.  

The thing that makes “Fortnite” better, according to many, is the price of the game compared to PUBG. “Fortnite” is currently free on every gaming platform while PUBG costs $30.  

Another thing that makes “Fortnite” different than its competitor is the building aspect of the game.  You can collect resources by chopping down trees and mining stone.  With these resources, players can build a fort to protect against oncoming fire and gain an advantage.

While you can play by yourself in “Solo” mode, you can also play with your friends in a mode called “Duos” or “Squads,” where you and three of your friends go against 24 other groups of squads.  This is a very popular aspect of the game because of the difficulty in working as a unit with three other people.

Players have to share ammunition, weapons and resources to stay alive, but when they win, it is  worth it.

Conrad said, “When you win it feels like the best thing ever.”

Communication isn’t the only thing that is important. According to Pfaadt, “Luck is more important than skill.”

Conrad and Pfaadt agree that “Fortnite” “brings back the good ole’ days of gaming.”

A lot of people compare this game to a first-person shooter called “Modern Warfare 2.”  They aren’t comparing the gameplay or the graphics but the bonds you can make while playing the game.

There is just something about “Fortnite” that makes playing into the late hours of the night acceptable.

Still, a few people don’t really think “Fortnite” is all that great, among them junior Jared Kraus, manager of the Video Game Club at Trinity. He has labeled the game as “overhyped because it’s free.”

Kraus said while it is a good game, it is getting praised over being free.  This is a phenomenon that happens a lot in gaming where something is perceived as better than it is due to the price.

Overall this game has a massive following at Trinity and is growing every day with no clear signs of slowing down.  This game has really helped build friendships. If you haven’t already, download the game, give it a go and form your own opinion. It is available on PS4 Xbox One and PC.