How to Play Fortnite in 2024: Beginner Tips & How to Win Games

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Fortnite is one of the most popular battle royale games currently available, and it’s no wonder more players are eager to drop into the action while searching for the best Fortnite tips.

Though it’s important to understand the basic fundamentals of the third person shooter, no matter what platform you’re on, to give yourself the best chance at that victory royale.

Techopedia presents how to play Fortnite including modes, beginners tips and tricks, and more.

Key Takeaways

  • Fortnite Battle Royale is free to play on mobile, PC, and console.
  • Players are required to have an online connection to play Fortnite.
  • Popular Fortnite modes include Battle Royale, Zero Build, Rocket Racing, and LEGO.
  • Beginner tips for Fortnite include harvesting resources and keeping an eye on the storm.
  • Advanced tips include adjusting settings to make building more efficient and learning core builds.

How to Play Fortnite

Fortnite is free to download across multiple devices through the Epic Games Store.
Fortnite is free to download across multiple devices through the Epic Games Store. Source: Epic Games

Downloading Fortnite is a fairly simple process, especially since the game is free to play across the most popular platforms. We strongly recommend only downloading games from official sources in order to prevent downloading any harmful malware from dubious sites.

Fortnite is currently available worldwide on Android, iPhone, and iPad in the European Union. The game is currently not available on the App Store or on Google Play in the US.

How to Play Fortnite on Mobile Devices

  1. Log on to the Epic Games Store mobile app by scanning the QR code.

  2. Search for the Fortnite mobile homepage and press Get.

  3. Ensure your mobile device meets the minimum requirements.

  4. Open the app once installed, log in with your Epic Games account, and play.

The PC version of Fortnite is exclusively available on the Epic Games Store. You’ll need to download the client before you can play the game.

How to Play Fortnite on PC

  1. Log onto the Epic Games Store.

  2. Search for the Fortnite home page and press Get.

  3. Ensure your PC meets the minimum requirements.

  4. Open the game in files, log in with your Epic Games account, and play.

Fortnite is also available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. An online connection is required, so you will need to subscribe to either Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, or Nintendo Switch Online.

How to Play Fortnite for Free on Consoles

  1. Find the Fortnite page on Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Store.

  2. Be subscribed to Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, or Nintendo Online.

  3. Check you have enough storage on your console.

  4. Download the game, create an Epic Games account, and play.

Fortnite Beginner Tips

Additional Fortnite modes include LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival.
Additional Fortnite modes include LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. Source: Epic Games

There are a plethora of Fortnite game modes available outside of the standard yet popular battle royale mode. Players should have a basic understanding of how to play each mode before diving into the action.

Battle Royale

The most popular mode, Battle Royale, pits 100 players against each other to be the last player standing. You can play Fortnite solo, in duos, or in squads of up to four. Players drop into a large map to gather resources and eliminate enemies while avoiding an enclosing zone that damages players (called the Storm). In Battle, you can use the material you’ve scavenged to build cover to defend yourself or platforms to walk on.

Zero Build

Zero Build is a variant of Battle Royale, but (arguably) just as popular. This mode, Zero Build, forgoes the building mechanic entirely so that players can focus purely on gunplay. This is the recommended mode to start for players wishing to learn how to play Fortnite, allowing you to dedicate more time to aiming and positioning.

Ranked

Both Zero Build and Battle Royale have a ranked mode. The ranked mode is the most competitive of all modes in Fortnite, where players are pitted against foes of similar skill. Wins or high placements in matches allow you to earn points in order to rank up, with difficulty scaling the higher up you go as you face more skilled or experienced players. There are eight ranks in total, ranging from Bronze to Unreal.

LEGO Fortnite

A collaborative mode between Fortnite and LEGO. It is an open world experience with survival and crafting mechanics, scavenging for resources while steadily building up your base of operations in the classic blocky style. You can unlock building parts and LEGO skins through this mode. One of four unique Fortnite modes outside of the battle royale genre.

Save the World

A paid single-player and co-op experience where teams work together to defend against waves of zombie-like creatures called Husks. Players complete missions, gather resources, build fortifications, and craft weapons to protect objectives and survive. Save the World offers unique gameplay and a progression system where players can level up heroes, unlock abilities, and collect powerful gear.

Rocket Racing

A Rocket-League-inspired racing game where 12 players compete in rocket-powered vehicles to be the first to reach the finish line. The vehicles in this game are quite mobile in a similar fashion to their Rocket League counterpart, capable of jumping, hovering, boosting, and wall riding across different tracks.

Festival

Fortnite Festival is a music-based rhythm game based on popular Fortnite soundtracks and collaborations. It requires hitting the corresponding notes with precise timing as they roll down the screen in a similar fashion to Guitar Hero or Rock Band. This mode can be played solo or with up to four players in total. Main Stage is the standard mode, the Battle Stage is PvP with up to 16 players, and the Jam Stage is a casual mode where you’re able to mix up songs.

Creative

Creative allows you to create your own custom games with the Unreal Engine, using the game’s assets or importing your own. You can also join community creations, which rotate every week based on popularity. These can range from platformers, horror survival, boss fights and include Fortnite how-to-play modes. Browse through some of the best modes, such as aim-trainers, building exercises, or empty maps, that allow you to become more familiar with layouts.

How to Win Fortnite Games

The key to winning games is mastering weapon recoil, map navigation, and building.
The key to winning games is mastering weapon recoil, map navigation, and building. Source: Epic Games

Earning that victory royale is no small feat, requiring the best aim, best building, and best loadouts to ensure you outlast the competition. Whilst practice makes perfect, there are certain Fortnite tips and tricks you can start implementing to improve your gameplay.

Base Fortnite Fundamentals

Fortnite beginner tips include being aware of seemingly obvious factors, but you’d be surprised how often these small factors can influence fight outcomes.

Drop Location: Plan ahead and know where you want to drop. Often, some locations will have increased drop rates for higher rarity weapons, but these will also be the most highly populated areas at the beginning of rounds. The high risk and high reward may not always be worth it, and dropping to a less populated area can help you avoid an early loss.

The Storm: Always keep tabs on the storm’s location and where the next safe zone will be. Earlier rounds aren’t so punishing, but the storm can prove quite lethal later in the game. Keep a conscious effort to ensure safety isn’t too far away, or have a vehicle on hand to quickly reposition to avoid getting caught in the purple storm.

Loadouts: Whilst it is tempting to have a full row of Epic and Legendary weapons, a Fortnite zero builds tip we recommend is having at least one healing item on hand (to restore either health or shields). The worst case scenario is that someone easily guns you down from a distance because you are low on health; having max health is a safeguard to ensure your next gunfight isn’t your last.

Collect Resources: In the standard battle royale mode, a lack of materials can be a death sentence. In between gunfights, try to take out your pickaxe and harvest as much materials as you can. But be careful not to let it distract you from potential nearby threats or to give your position away.

Fortnite can be played solo, in duos, or in squads of up to four players.
Fortnite can be played solo, in duos, or in squads of up to four players. Source: Epic Games

Advanced Fortnite Tips

More advanced tips to get better at Fortnite ultimately boil down to improving mechanical skills, the best loadouts won’t make a difference if you keep missing your targets, and having an abundance of resources is useless if you don’t know how to build fast enough.

Fight more: This may appear contradictory, but being passive in games won’t let you improve. It’s important to try to survive the initial stages, but you will only be able to improve your aim if you are actively seeking gunfights. Skills like accommodating for weapon recoil or where to aim for projectile weapons like snipers can only be learned through experience, regardless of whether you’re playing solo, in squads, or in Fortnite duos.

Settings: Adjusting your settings isn’t a deciding factor for winning fights, but it can help make your experience a lot easier. If you’re on controller, navigate the options menu and switch to Pro Builder Settings, which will assign each structure to a button press rather than cycling through them to hasten building. But when it comes to configurations (for example, PC), it is ultimately down to personal preference – so experiment.

Building Techniques: Fortnite building tips include implementing the best builds into your gunfights. Common builds include tunneling for cover, 90 degrees for gaining height, and even something as simple as building ramps can make a difference. Smaller things like editing windows into walls can help you get the jump on an unsuspecting opponent in a duel.

Weapon Combinations: Where possible, try to keep a varied weapon loadout in the game so that you can respond to a variety of situations. It’s often recommended to have both a shotgun and a hitscan weapon (such as an assault rifle or SMG). Having a shotgun allows you to deal high bursts of damage when peaking around corners before quickly switching to your hitscan weapon to finish them off.

4 Ways to Improve Fortnite Performance

There Are Four Ways to Improve Gameplay in Fortnite Game Modes.

  1. Use one of the best VPNs to ensure safe and secure online play.

  2. Enable Game Mode on your PC to push the performance of your system for higher frame rates.

  3. Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi for the most consistent online performance.

  4. Upgrade RAM, SSD, or graphics card for a smoother gaming experience.

There Are Four Methods on How to Play Fortnite Better

  1. Engage in Zero Build if you wish to improve gunplay mechanics, such as aim.

  2. Test out custom modes to learn maps or improve building.

  3. Take a break every once in a while by testing out other game modes.

  4. Play with friends or a squad you can effectively communicate with.

The Bottom Line

This guide outlines Fortnite tips and tricks to help you improve your performance in the third person shooter battle royale. Getting that win will require great aim in gunfights, quick building, and map knowledge to outgun and outlive the lobby.

Fortnite boasts a plethora of modes that are worth exploring in order to help you better understand its systems, whether it’s Zero Build for gunplay, custom modes for practicing building or even exploring other modes to avoid stress and exhaustion. Fortnite is the best battle royale game you can play in 2024, and well worth learning.

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Joey Morris
Gaming Writer
Joey Morris
Gaming Writer

Joey Morris is a Gaming Writer for Techopedia. He has spent several years writing on his own blog site and for other creative publications. He has written reviews, features, and even a digital magazine. He has also produced podcasts, video essays, and held interviews with various experts in the gaming industry. He enjoys playing video games as both a profession and passion.