If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Here's a trailer to remind you to pay to play Fortnite now even though it will be free next year

Fortnite is a free-to-play game but you can spend money on it to jump the queue.

"Isn't Fortnite already out?" Well, sort of. See, it doesn't actually release in full until sometime in 2018, but if you purchase an early access package you can jump in now, and those who pre-ordered early access packages have been playing since last week.

Having waited six years since the game's announce I suspect you can either wait a few months or you've already bought into one of the astonishingly expensive founder's packs with all the bells and whistles. If not, the cheapest available option with the minimum of add-ons is $40/€40/£35.

Here's a look at the bangs you'll get for your buck:

Cover image for YouTube video

Although its build by day, fight monsters by night premise inspired initial comparisons to Minecraft, Fortnite seems to be a mix of tower defence and third-person action, which sounds a bit like the Orcs Must Die series. It was the first new project Epic announced in the wake of Gears of War, but took forever to come out - possibly because Cliff Bleszinski scarpered to go indie with Lawbreakers, and a second Epic team focused on MOBA Paragon.

Anyway, you can buy it and find out for yourself now, or wait a few months for early access testers to help knock the rough edges off it and join in for free. It's got a lot of progression systems so veterans will probably have something to show for their long service, mind.

Sign in and unlock a world of features

Get access to commenting, homepage personalisation, newsletters, and more!

In this article

Fortnite

Android, iOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch

Related topics
About the Author
Brenna Hillier avatar

Brenna Hillier

Contributor

Based in Australia and having come from a lengthy career in the Aussie games media, Brenna worked as VG247's remote Deputy Editor for several years, covering news and events from the other side of the planet to the rest of the team. After leaving VG247, Brenna retired from games media and crossed over to development, working as a writer on several video games.

Comments