Log into Fortnite proper now and you may discover that the recreation’s most-played mode is, very unusually, not its most important Battle Royale possibility. As a substitute the new Blitz Royale is at present ruling the roost — however what’s it? And why is that this contemporary providing from Epic Video games so standard?
Blitz Royale launched this week in Fortnite’s newest replace, alongside Expeditions, a new story-infused PVE Lego expertise, and a Bruno Mars-starring new season of Guitar Hero-like Fortnite Pageant.
However, as has regularly been the case, it’s the mode closest to Fortnite’s basic Battle Royale that has damaged out — and, for now, Blitz Royale feels prefer it has discovered a contemporary area of interest for gamers eager to attempt one thing faster-paced and extra quickfire.
As its title suggests, Blitz Royale matches are supposed to take much less time total and power-up gamers a lot quicker than in a basic Battle Royale providing. The mode’s map, at present based mostly on Fortnite’s basic OG Island, is a fraction of its dimension, constructing is disabled, and there’s an in-match levelling system to grant weapons and power-ups, that means there is not any must spend time scrounging for loot.
That stated, different Battle Royale staples stay: a fast paced storm circle, restricted stock and have to be the final participant standing. Over the subsequent 4 weeks (Epic Video games is but to particularly state that Blitz Royale will probably be a everlasting addition), varied loot swimming pools will probably be provided — together with objects and power-granting medallions from varied basic Fortnite eras.
Blitz Royale is playable inside Fortnite on each platform, however is the first mode designed with a particular piece of {hardware} in thoughts: your cellphone.
Timed to hit shortly after Fortnite’s triumphant return to the iPhone App Retailer in the US, following years of authorized wrangling with Apple, Blitz Royale is supposed to enchantment to these wanting a bite-size battle royale, excellent for a fast bus journey or espresso break. Even the Battle Bus flies in quicker at the begin of video games.
A suitably fast trailer for Blitz Royale claims you may safe victory inside 5 minutes — round a quarter of the time normally essential to safe a Victory Royale in Fortnite’s common Battle Royale and Zero Construct modes.
Proper now, Fortnite stats present round 240,000 gamers in Blitz Royale, making it the recreation’s largest mode by some margin, aftr hitting 443,000 gamers throughout peak hours final night time. Battle Royale at present has half this depend — 119,000 gamers at the time of writing.
“Blitz Royale is the s**t,” wrote one fan on reddit. “Critically, Epic – love the mode, y’all cooked. I’m critically blown away and having a lot enjoyable.”
“The mode is shocking myself,” wrote one other. “I’m taking part in much more aggressively than I’d in regular mode and actually it’s fairly cool.”
Epic Video games will possible be watching Blitz Royale and different new additions fastidiously to see how properly they carry out over the coming days, and whether or not any of them are literally drawing in new gamers to Fortnite, in addition to providing present customers new methods to play.
Fortnite’s common participant numbers have typically fallen this 12 months, in response to publicly-available numbers from Fortnite.gg. Following progress and vital participant spikes final 12 months, notably round September 2024’s Physician Doom international boss battle, and November reside occasions together with a live performance held in Occasions Sq. and an in-game extravaganza that includes Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice and Juice Wrld.
2025 has seen Fortnite run a limited-time Star Wars mini-season that eliminated all common ammo from the recreation, changing the ordinary weapons in Battle Royale mode with sci-fi power weapons. The sport’s latest season, which options a return to the recreation’s semi-regular concentrate on superheroes has seen numbers start to bounce again. Subsequent step, beating present Roblox hit Develop a Backyard? One factor at a time, maybe.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social