Skip to main content

Gears of War developer Epic Games reveals Fortnite at the VGAs

The Spike Video Game Awards happened last night and, in typical form, the show’s lackluster writing and minimal focus on actual awards-giving was offset by a wide assortment of game announcements and trailer reveals. One of the evening’s most anticipated was the latest from Epic Games, the studio behind the award-winning Gears of War series. It’s called Fortnite and, as you can see in the trailer above, it’s a sizable step away from what Epic fans are familiar with.

Based on what the trailer reveals, it looks like the game unfolds in two basic phases. Daytime hours will be used to build up your fortress in the stylized, seemingly post-apocalyptic landscape, using whatever debris and other resources that are available. The nighttime hours are then spent holing inside the fortress while all manner of slavering nasties — including zombies, from the look of things — try to break in from the outside.

Recommended Videos

There’s no gameplay in the trailer, so bear in mind that there’s probably a bit more going on than that. We don’t even know what platform(s) the game will be released on, or even what kind of release model it will be using (ie disc vs. digital). Now that the formal announcement has been made, however, you can probably expect to hear more about how the game will work soon enough.

Adam Rosenberg
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
Epic Games just gave Fortnite veterans the best gift: permanent OG mode
Fortnite OG Key Art

If you're a long-time Fortnite player who can't stop asking where Tilted Towers disappeared to, this update is for you. Epic is bringing back Fortnite OG -- this time, for good. The game mode will cycle through the game's first season and let players revisit their favorite locations and loot just as they remember it from way back in 2017.

And when Epic Games says it's going back, it means all the way back. The mode will initially go through the seasons of Chapter 1, including all the loot changes and feature introductions. Think of it something like a crash course in the evolution of Fortnite; you can experience it just as players did back then and learn as you go. As a veteran of those early battle royale years, I can promise it was a vastly different experience than it is now.

Read more
This Star Wars game is a Cyber Monday must-have
Cal fights and enemy in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Star Wars lore goes deeper than what you see in the movies and TV shows — some of the best characters in the Star Wars universe don't even show up in them at all! One of my favorite stories is the journey of Cal Kestis, a Jedi Knight on his own journey to fight the Empire and rebuild the Jedi Order. While we don't have a film or TV series about Kestis yet (hopefully it is on its way), you can explore his story in the Star Wars Jedi video game series.

While you should certainly start by playing Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the first installment of the series, the sequel has a lot more action and higher stakes. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes place five years after its predecessor — Kestis has become a capable Jedi Knight in his adventures and is seeking a place for a new Jedi Order to hide from the Empire. You can dive into this rich story right now at a deep discount: It's only $20 at Best Buy right now for Cyber Monday.

Read more
You can vote for The Game Awards in Fortnite and meet an uncanny Geoff Keighley
The Game Awards trophy looming large over a Fortnite island.

Fortnite is once again holding a special in-game edition of The Game Awards, and players can vote for their favorite creator-developed islands.

The limited-time world, called The Game Awards Vote in Fortnite, lets players easily explore the nominated islands, which include an MMO, multiple escape room, and a roguelike. They can vote by going to the world and voting before 9 p.m. ET December 11, the day before the awards air. You can get there with island code 0853-1358-8532.

Read more