The highly acclaimed video game Fortnite has joined forces with Lego for a well-publicized team-up.
The online shooter has always included crafting as a significant part of the game, and has more than 400 million players registered.
A completely novel survival game mode has now been introduced, featuring players creating their masterpieces with Lego bricks.
It appears that the game is inspired by the record-breaking success of Minecraft - a creative game, composed of Lego-style blocks and crafting elements.
To try out the new game mode, launch Fortnite, a free-to-play title available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
Although Fortnite includes more than one type of game, its online battle royale is by far the most popular. Up to 100 players can participate in the battle to find out who will be the ultimate survivor.
In contrast, Minecraft is a game of survival in which users construct edifices and create instruments as well as arms.
When Fortnite first came out, it included a version of the crafting survival mode, known as Fortnite: Save the World, which was released prior to its battle royale mode being created.
The sheer magnitude of success achieved by Fortnite: Battle Royale, derived upon inspiration from the Japanese thriller movie also titled as such and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, overshadowed the remainder of the game's modes, and Fortnite is largely recognized as an online shooter enriched with crafting features.
This new collaboration serves to bring Fortnite back to its origins and beyond; the partnership with Lego is far more than a superficial re-design.
Videos of the game in action reveal that the environment has been completely transformed, and is comprised of items and figures inspired by Lego.
The game features moments reminiscent of Minecraft, such as constructing a fence to enclose sheep, raising vegetables, gathering near a campfire and devouring meals, and cutting trees to acquire materials for construction.
Fortnite enthusiasts will not be taken aback by the renowned partnership, as the game is well-recognized for doing this - having previously had in-game concerts with famous performers like Marshmello and Ariana Grande.
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VIEW: Ariana Grande performs inside Fortnite
Even though it already boasts a staggering 70 million monthly players, Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, desires additional engagement.
"Expansion is what this is all about," declared president Adam Sussman.
This is also an enlargement with respect to making these activities be attractive to many different types of people, from kids to adolescents to grown-ups.
There have been an extensive range of Lego games since 1997, from the hugely popular Lego Island to the more recent Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel themed titles.
Nevertheless, these titles, much like the building blocks themselves, are usually given ratings that deem them suitable for kids.
In contrast to this, Fortnite is rated PEGI 12 in the UK and EU, making it suitable for kids aged 12 or older. It has a comparable rating in the US.
Mr Sussman disclosed that Epic had endeavored to utilize parental controls and online safety features to guarantee the game was suitable for use.
He declared that they recently installed a rating system, which ensures that each piece of material is suitable for the intended viewers.”
We give parents the option to use our parental controls to decide what kind of content their children can access.
An example of this is that the Fortnite Lego mode has an E10+ rating, which is more appealing to younger audiences than the T rating of the original Fortnite. We think this adjustment will help bring a new group of people to the game.
Despite the popularity of Fortnite, it has been met with criticism, with Prince Harry noting in 2019 that the game was "crafted to be addictive".
Phillips, who is Eurogamer's editor-in-chief, commented that criticisms of this type are routinely directed at the video game industry.
He questioned: "How do people spend their time, how are they interacting with other people on the internet?" regarding the plethora of criticism he had received.
In the end, it was stated that individuals can decide which game to play depending on their preferences, and if shooting games don't appeal to them, they don't have to play them.
Playing a battle royale game involves combat where you are shooting other people, which may not be desirable for some or may even be inappropriate for those who are too young, such as with Lego.
It is uncertain what the collaboration between Lego and Fortnite will bring, according to Julia Goldin, the company's Chief Product and Marketing Officer. She has asserted that taking such risks is necessary to reach new heights.
She pointed out that every effort and activity, especially those of a far-reaching nature, contain numerous intangibles.
There is still uncertainty as to how the game will ultimately turn out, what activities children will be interested in as opposed to what other people want, and which elements will be popular and which will not.
"Already in place are plans for the types of improvements and creative initiatives to be rolled out in 2024, as well as other sorts of games that Fortnite will begin to feature."
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