On November 3, Epic Games brought back the fan-favorite 2018 Fortnite map in a one-month special event they named “Fortnite OG.” This event brought a record-breaking 44.7 million players back on its first full day alone, marking it as the biggest day in the history of the game. Throughout this special event, the game brought back many of its revered seasons including Season 5.
“Old Fortnite players were nostalgic for the kind of vibe old Fortnite had back in its prime,” senior Ian Alana said. “Back when things were simple, it was easy to enjoy the simplicity and new challenges it presented to players in the first place. I think they decided to bring back old Fortnite because that’s what most of the player base wanted to come back: the way Fortnite is now is too complicated, so many more mechanics, the literal bots and tryhards in the game, and the map is too big. It’s not the same as it once was.”
An important factor in this recent success was nostalgia. Over the years, the older items that made the game unique have been replaced by more modern items. This, combined with Fortnite’s collaborations with celebrities and clothing brands, led to a departure from the simplicity that had initially led to the game’s growth. The return of the OG map allowed players to enjoy the simplicity that defined the game during its initial release.
“Students feel their happiness restored, bringing us back to 11 and 12 years old, when life was so simple and enjoyable,” senior Erik Gliszczynski said.
The nostalgia was not limited to students; even teachers experienced a dose of it. However, the rise in distraction due to Fortnite’s special event became a major concern for teachers.
“Now it’s like, I walk up and down the aisles and I’m telling everyone to stop watching Fortnite, and they have the mini YouTube player in the corner, so now it feels like it’s all the time … it’s a big disruption,” science teacher Mr. D’Ammassa said.
While players are saying their goodbyes to this month-long special, Epic Games is teasing the return of the OG map in 2024, which adds anticipation for what the future holds.
