Unraveling the Fortnite OG's Story

I don't want to be that guy who obsesses over Fortnite's overall storyline, but I spend way too much time playing this game. Every season, I make it a point to complete every quest and follow the so-called story. The narrative flow has never been exceptional, but it's nice to have a long-term structure that makes sense as one season transitions into another.

However, a couple of months ago, I expressed my frustration about Chapter 4 derailing Fortnite's story completely. It introduced plotlines that seemed unrelated and gave the impression that there was a disorganized development schedule. Despite that, the previous season seemed to lead directly to Fortnite OG, with the time machine at Frenzy Farm pointing to the start of Chapter 1, Season 5. But now that we're here, there's a lack of substantial story content. All we have are some cryptic audio logs left by Slone for Jones throughout this season, which only adds to my confusion.

When a new season is released in Fortnite, there is a standard procedure in place. This typically includes a gameplay trailer showcasing new weapons, gadgets, and mechanics, as well as a cinematic trailer featuring the battle pass characters who play a role in the season's main story. In Chapter 4 Season 4, for instance, the trailers showcased Fish Thicc, Piper Pace, and other good guy battle pass skins infiltrating Kado Thorne's estate, and even depicted Thorn emerging from a time machine.

However, Fortnite OG, despite having a gameplay trailer that showcased its retro map and loot pool, did not receive a cinematic trailer. Furthermore, it currently lacks any plot quests, which means it falls short in terms of storytelling compared to the minimum expectations. I have come up with three potential explanations for this situation.

Option 1: Epic intentionally downplays the story element in Fortnite, and this may not be a far-fetched idea considering the departure of Donald Mustard, the creator of the battle royale storyline. It's possible that his successor, Charlie Wen, aims to approach things differently.

Option 2: The absence of a well-developed narrative is seen as a deliberate throwback. The current version of the battle royale island originated from Chapter 1, Season 5, where the plot had not yet started. Hence, the lack of story content now could be a tribute to that era. However, the introduction of the Fortnite plot occurred later in Chapter 1, and Fortnite OG will guide us through that point. Consequently, changes could occur within a few weeks, giving way to new developments.

The third option, which I personally believe to be true, suggests that there was intended to be a collaboration with an external intellectual property (IP) such as Doctor Who and/or Lego for this season. However, this collaboration was either canceled or postponed until after Fortnite OG. In this scenario, the collaboration would have been integrated into the cinematic and storyline in a way that would be challenging to salvage without it.

Regardless of the cause, it has been frustrating to witness the overall degradation of the Fortnite story throughout the past year. The plot lost coherence during Chapter 4, with each season becoming increasingly disconnected. Currently, we find ourselves in a season that lacks any semblance of a story. Perhaps Chapter 5 in December can provide a fresh start - it may be our sole remaining hope at this juncture.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of Fortnite, I have mixed feelings about the current state of the game's storyline. On one hand, I understand that Epic Games may be intentionally downplaying the story element to focus on other aspects of the game. The departure of Donald Mustard, the creator of the battle royale storyline, could also have contributed to this shift in focus. On the other hand, I can't help but feel disappointed by the lack of substantial story content in Fortnite OG.

The absence of a cinematic trailer and plot quests has left me feeling disconnected from the game's narrative. While I appreciate the nostalgic throwback to Chapter 1, Season 5, I believe that the game needs a more compelling storyline to keep players engaged. I hope that Epic Games has a plan to address this issue in future seasons and bring back the sense of excitement and mystery that made Fortnite's story so captivating in the early days.