Highlights

  • Fortnite had a successful year in 2023 with record-breaking player counts and the introduction of new experiences like LEGO Fortnite and Rocket Racing.
  • Epic Games will continue to collaborate with other intellectual properties in 2024, with rumored partnerships in the works such as Doctor Who and Juice WRLD.
  • The game will also focus on updating and improving its new game modes, including LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival, while gearing up for the launch of Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 in March 2024.

2023 was undoubtedly a massive success for Fortnite for a myriad of reasons. Not only did the return of OG Fortnite smash the previous all-time player count record, but Epic Games also expanded its universe to include three unique experiences: LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. Additionally, as Chapter 4 concluded, Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 ushered in a fresh era with the introduction of items like Medallions, Ballistic Shields, and train station railways.

While 2023 was an impressive year for Fortnite, shattering records and redefining gaming possibilities, the game's momentum is expected to carry into 2024. After all, Epic Games has demonstrated its exceptional ability to craft intricate lore, incorporate exciting collaborations, and introduce groundbreaking mechanics that keep its player base intrigued. With an average of 235 million monthly users in December 2023, Fortnite is displaying no signs of slowing down.

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LEGO Fortnite Player Count is Higher Than Fortnite Battle Royale

LEGO Fortnite seizes the title of the game's most popular mode, convincingly outranking its battle royale and other counterparts by player count.

Fortnite is Expected to Get Bigger in 2024

The Return of OG Fortnite

OG Fortnite

Despite the recent conclusion of the "OG Fortnite" season, Epic Games has already confirmed its return in 2024. The popularity of the classic mode "far exceeded" expectations, according to the official Fortnite Twitter account, and has earned itself a prime spot on the road map for next year. However, the developers have indicated that the mode won't be the same as its 2023 predecessor, as they would like to bring it back with a twist. Head of Epic Game's Fortnite ecosystem, Saxs Persson, told Axios in an interview that "it's just a matter of how and when, and how do we make it so it's not just the same?"

Fortnite Will Feature New Collaborations

Epic Games stands out as one of the companies that consistently engages in collaborations with various intellectual properties, making it a defining characteristic of Fortnite. While crossovers existed in the gaming world before Fortnite's first pop culture collaboration with Marvel in Season 4, it's safe to say that Fortnite had a hand in popularizing the idea. 2023 featured several significant collaborations and 2024 will build on these foundations.

It's been rumored since April 2023 that a Doctor Who x Fortnite collaboration is in the works. It seems it was slated to debut in early 2024, but following internal disputes, an exact timeline is no longer guaranteed. Unfortunately, Epic Games has not officially confirmed whether these alleged data mining leaks are genuine.

It's been rumored since April 2023 that a Doctor Who x Fortnite collaboration is in the works.

Regardless, other enticing crossovers are certain to make their way to the battle royale in 2024. Recent anime collaborations like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen have gained immense popularity, leaving it not a matter of "if" but rather "when" Fortnite will explore further partnerships with additional anime. Similarly, fans are also hopeful for the inclusion of other popular franchises like Star Trek, Nintendo, and Five Nights at Freddy's.

Additionally, a Juice WRLD x Fortnite collaboration was confirmed by the late rapper's manager during an Instagram Live on December 15. A specific release date has not been targeted, though it was established that the partnership would be "coming soon." Some players have theorized that Juice WRLD will be the featured rapper for Fortnite Festival, but specific details have yet to surface.

Fortnite Will Also Focus On Its New Game Modes

Updates to LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival

Lego Fortnite: How to Fix the High Complexity Area Error

Epic Games confirmed on December 13 that LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival are not LTMs and are here to stay. What these regular Fortnite updates will entail is uncertain, but it's likely to include, but aren't necessarily limited to:

Despite each mode only having recently been released, it seems Epic Games is determined to continue updating and improving its three new game modes. LEGO Fortnite has already received multiple updates since it launched on December 7. For example, in the first month alone, tool durability has been buffed, stack sizes have increased, etc. New songs are constantly being added to Fortnite Festival, whereas Rocket Racing is constantly being adjusted with changes that include reduced queue times and fixes to car collision physics.

A New Era of Fortnite

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 Launches March 2024

Fortnite black hole

Chapter 5 Season 2 of Fortnite isn't expected to be released until March 2024, since seasons typically last around 10 to 12 weeks. At this point, the overall theme is not yet known, but some downtime around this date is to be expected. However, there have been rumors of a leaked theme for Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2, which Epic Games has not confirmed or denied being true as of December.

Furthermore, there's a strong chance that the Fortnite storyline will be updated come the end of Chapter 5 Season 1, and the start of the new season. The theme of the season may even deepen the lore in some way. Nevertheless, there will likely be some updates on either the antagonistic faction known as The Society, the Cube Queen's fate, or the secrets of the island.

There's a strong chance that the Fortnite storyline will be updated.

In addition, since Fortnite was updated with Unreal Engine 5 in 2023, it's expected that the next-gen features and visuals will only become advanced. V28.01.01 brought a wave of realism with new physics-based player animations. While the ambition was clear, feedback was mixed, primarily concerning slower movement times. After acknowledging player concerns, Epic Games increased run speed. However, some criticism has remained, and the developers have remained open to feedback. As such, future modifications to Fortnite's animation system may still be on the way.

Undoubtedly, it seems that the future is looking bright for Fortnite. Whether it's new modes, collaborations, or lore expansion, it's certain to be intriguing. Hopefully, Epic Games will reveal more details as to what exactly is in store as 2024 progresses.