For many years now, Fortnite has continued to find success in the crowded multiplayer shooter landscape with its unique take on the battle royale genre. Multitudes of players have experienced its building system, which allows players to collect materials throughout the match and create defensive structures on the fly, which makes its combat truly one of a kind. However, although it remains one of the most consistently popular battle royales available, Fortnite has never shied away from evolving its gameplay to suit the audience.
Whether this means constantly debuting new mechanics, adding increasingly bizarre character crossovers, or literally turning its map upside down for a new season of content, Fortnite is constantly changing, often for the better. Recently, Epic Games has introduced one of the most earth-shattering changes to the shooter's core with the long-requested Zero Build mode, a multiplayer option that completely removes Fortnite's most famous feature. Zero Build mode is not just a literal game-changer for Fortnite as the world knows it, but a testament to what its developers will do to ensure that this battle royale remains fresh and exciting for years to come.
Originally introduced as a limited-time option for the game's current Chapter Three: Season Two battle pass, Zero Build mode instantly grew in popularity with players. Soon after, Epic announced that Zero Build was here to stay, and it quickly became a reason for old players to celebrate and a great way to reintroduce lapsed fans. Over the years, many players had become disillusioned over the skill levels required to build quickly for effective play. Veteran players are able to construct massive structures in mere seconds, which gives them a clear advantage over those who are new to the rather clunky building systems in the game.
Zero Build eliminates this advantage, allowing everyone to focus on Fortnite's excellent shooter controls and myriad fun quests and gameplay mechanics. Zero Build mode opens up Fortnite to a whole new group of players, who may not have enjoyed the building mechanic that set the game apart so many years ago. These players can now compete on an even playing field that doesn't require material collection or rapid building skills.
Furthermore, Zero Build mode brings with it new features that make up for its lack of the ability to traverse the map through constructing structures. Since players can't use the building mechanics for traversal, Zero Build adds a mantle option, allowing players to easily scale buildings with ease. Players can also now sprint for short distances with its new stamina bar, another first for the series. If players combine the sprint with a jump, they will launch into the air for a higher jump, which also helps with climbing buildings without the ability to simply build a ramp. Finally, the addition of a Halo-like rechargeable over-shield allows players to put up a fight even without proper equipment, which makes the gameplay shift from the more defensive building mode into a more aggressive head-to-head feel.
Zero Build makes Fortnite's matches feel more dynamic by making the game less about hiding and more about fighting and defending on the exisiting map. Coupled with the buttery smooth new traversal mechanics, Fortnite's match-to-match gameplay hasn't felt this fresh in years. Players who are attacked can sprint out of danger, regroup, climb up to a new vantage point, wait for the shield to recharge, and launch a new attack instead of resorting to the tried-and-true building mechanics that grind encounters to a halt.
With its new features, more accessible gameplay, and more aggressive matches, Zero Build mode is one of the best things that Fortnite has introduced in a long time. Hopefully, this incredibly well-received mode will continue beyond the current season and become a staple that will not only help draw in new players, but welcome back those who left along the way. Fortnite continues to be a series that is unafraid of reinventing itself (even when it means changing what made it so unique in the first place), and Zero Build is the ultimate celebration of this ideal.