Skip to main content

What is Fortnite: Party Royale?

As Fortnite nears its third year on the market, Epic Games is doing everything it can to pump new life into the popular battle royale title. The massive — and incredibly successful — Travis Scott concert was only the tip of the iceberg, as Fortnite recently introduced a new mode to its already robust offerings. It revolves around listening to music, hanging out with friends, and partaking in some low-stakes competition. The mode is called Party Royale, and it’s unlike anything we’ve seen in the entire genre — let alone Fortnite.

Further reading

Recommended Videos

What exactly is Party Royale?

Jon Bitner / Digital Trends

Epic Games’ latest addition to Fortnite is an odd mixture of different activities. The fun started on May 8 with a concert featuring Dillon Francis, Steve Aoki, and deadmau5. Players who jumped into the action will have immediately noticed that the concerts took place on a completely new island. Party Royale gives all these players free rein to explore to their heart’s content, all without the threat of a shrinking circle or enemy players.

That’s right — there’s no dying, or even health bars, in Fortnite: Party Royale. Instead of blasting each other to pieces, Party Royale participants just chill out, listen to some music, and join in on various activities scattered around the island. It’s very much a social experiment and not so much a game. If you recall PlayStation Home from way back in 2012, that’s the sort of vibe given out by Party Royale.

What events are planned for the new mode?

Jon Bitner / Digital Trends

As of now, there are no future events planned for the space. On May 9, however, there was a rebroadcast of the live premiere concert. We’re sure something big is in the pipeline, but Epic Games is being tightlipped about where it plans on taking the new space. Although with a name like Party Royale, it’s only a matter of time before Fortnite hosts another concert.

Explore a new island

Jon Bitner / Digital Trends

Right now, one of the coolest aspects of Party Royale is the new island players can explore. Whether you’re jamming out to music pumping from the futuristic concert hall or cruising around a racetrack, there’s a lot for gamers to unpack. The map isn’t nearly as large as the Battle Royale island, but for what it is it’s well designed.

And while the island doesn’t have lethal weapons, players can still pick up a few items from vending machines scattered across the different landmarks. These include paintball guns, paint bombs, and crash pads. They’re fun to mess around with, and if you gather a bunch of friends you can even hold an impromptu paintball match. It’s also the perfect space to show off all the skins you’ve acquired over the years, as you can change your appearance on the fly using several booths located throughout the map.

For complete newcomers to the world of Fortnite, Party Royale offers them a risk-free environment to become acquainted with some of the game’s primary mechanics. While they won’t get to build anything, they can still work on their aiming skills, learn how to drive vehicles, and hone their parachuting abilities.

Take part in unique activities

Jon Bitner / Digital Trends

If you’re looking for something a bit more structured, Party Royale already offers a surprising number of activities for players to enjoy. There are five types of challenges scattered across the island, and although many of them are similar, they still give players a relaxing break from the battle royale action. These include:

  • Glider Drop: Head to one of several Glider Drop icons on the map and you’ll be able to teleport high above the island. Several rings will appear, and it’s your job to glide through each one on the way down.
  • Time Trials: Race through different checkpoints on foot! Some might require you to stock up on items ahead of time — such as crash pads — otherwise, you’ll have a hard time reaching the end.
  • Wave Dash: Like Time Trials, Wave Dash is its sea-based cousin. Players will hop into a boat and race around the island as fast as they can.
  • Quad Dash: Hop on an ATV and cruise around the island. There are structured races — where players much hit each checkpoint in the allotted time — and competitive races, where you’ll have the chance to take one massive lap around the island as you compete against others.
  • Soccer: This activity is a bit more freeform than those listed above. Party Royale island contains a soccer field that keeps track of each team’s score. It’s fun to play one-on-one, but the more people you pack onto the pitch, the more fun you’ll have.

An ‘experimental and evolving space’

fortnite travis scott
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s difficult to say what’s in store for Fortnite’s Party Royale mode, but so far it has been a resounding success. Not only is the new mode chock-full of fun little diversions, but it’s also a well-thought-out social experiment. Fortnite has an immense player base, ranging from dedicated streamers to casual fans playing from their mobile phone. A laidback, low-stakes social experiment is the perfect way to continue to branch out its already broad appeal.

What better way to relax with your friends across the globe than by running around as Deadpool and listening to a livestreamed concert? Party Royale is a bizarre hodgepodge of content, yet Fortnite somehow manages to pull it off. As more and more features are introduced to the party, we can only expect things to keep heating up.

Expect the experiment to continue when Fortnite launches on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox One later this year. The title will also be transitioning to the latest Unreal Engine — and if that’s not something to celebrate, we don’t know what is.

Topics
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
Metallica is bringing fuel, fire, and fury to Fortnite
James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo in their Puppet Master Fortnite outfits. Flames are coming out of their eyes.

Take my hand, we're off to Fortnite land. The battle royale game's next major musical guest is no other than Metallica, and like other performers, they can make their way over to your Fortnite game.

From June 22 to 23, players can hop into Fortnite Discover to witness the 30-minute Metallica: Fuel. Fire. Fury. in Fortnite Festival. There are three time slots available on each day, so there are plenty of opportunities to catch the performance. You can see the schedule over on the Fortnite website.

Read more
The best places to land in Fortnite
Brutal Beachhead location in Fortnite

Survival is key in Fortnite, and it all starts by picking the best starting location. Even if you're an expert player, your likelihood of coming out on top is greatly diminished if you start off on the wrong foot -- whether it be at a barren location with no loot or a hot drop that could lead to a swift death.

As part of Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 3, there's no shortage of fantastic landing spots, but which one is best comes down to your skill and preference. With that in mind, here are the best places to land in Fortnite for veterans, beginners, and everyone in between.
The best places to land in Fortnite
Before jumping into the list of the best places to land in Fortnite, it's important to be aware of what makes a good landing spot. Sure, any place with decent loot might serve you well, but there's more to consider than that. Does a spot have a consistent chest/loot spawn? Are there guaranteed materials? Is it close to other places of interest (POI)s? Is it out of the way? Of course, loot is the most important aspect, but it does you no good to have a stacked loadout if you're stuck in the storm. These recommended landing spots all have some degree of consistency and fantastic loot. they also typically have some quirk that makes them effective depending on your playstyle.
Mount Olympus

Read more
All Medallion locations in Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 3
Ringleader scarr on a car in Fortnite.

A new season of Fortnite means a new cast of bosses with unique items to obtain. This season, your reward for besting the new Mad Max-inspired bosses is Medallions. These items, which first appeared in Season 1, grant your character some of the best buffs in the game. Unlike previous seasons, this time there are only three new bosses, and thus three Medallions to find and equip during a match. The only way to get them is to locate the bosses and manage to take them down. We can't help you in the fight itself, but can at least show you where to go and what each Medallion does.
All Medallion locations

The three bosses this season are Ringmaster Scarr, The Machinist, and Megalo Don. Each one appears in a different POI on the map and drops a unique Medallion.
Ringmaster Scarr
Scarr is found in the Nitrodome near the center of the map toward the south. She drops the Ringmaster's Medallion, which grants you unlimited ammo and a minor damage boost.
The Mechanist
Down near the south coast and slightly east is the Redline Rig POI, which is The Mechanist's lair. His Medallion will allow your shield to regenerate over time.
Megalo Don
The big bad of the season, and the most difficult boss of the trio, is Megalo Don. You can find him in the Brutal Beachhed POI, which is the giant ship beached far to the south and west of Redline Rig. If you manage to take this boss down you can get his Medallion, which gives your character, and by extension your vehicle, infinite Nitro.

Read more