For Chapter 3 Season 2, Epic decided to remove the building mechanic in Fortnite.
The building mechanic in Fortnite causes division amongst gamers. It is a core part of the battle royale game – an inseparable identity that makes Fortnite unique compared to its competition. Then again, you can’t deny that it’s also a turn-off for many players. The skill gap between the key-binding builders capable of constructing fortresses and towers instantaneously and the people who just want to try out the game while using the skin they bought from the Fortnite Item Shop can seem impossible at times. For many years, a “no-build mode” has been suggested, and in Chapter 3 Season 2, Epic listened – for now, at least.
Is This Reality?
This is pretty much fundamental – the building aspect in Fortnite is gone. The battle royale removed all building mechanics temporarily from the primary game mode as part of the Season 2 update, thereby altering the way Fortnite is played for the foreseeable future. The building remains intact in the Arena and Competitive game modes, but for most Fortnite account owners, the ability to create structures and walls on the fly is disabled. This means that you’ll have to rely solely on your combat mechanics.
To help with this, Epic Games added a new item called the Overshield that provides additional protection and health regeneration at any given time. They also added movement upgrades (boosted speed and mantling) that let you do parkour more efficiently rather than having to construct stairs or whatnot across the island.
Doors can now be opened without slowing down – you can either use the new boulder dash move or slide into them. And since you will now be using the vehicles scattered around the map to cover more land area, the developers added repair torches and gave the option to modify your ride. Vaulted weapons also return, and you can expect to see the Striker Burst Rifle and Combat SMG while traversing around the island for Chapter 3, Season 2.
Why Was Building Removed?
The reason for building not being available now is lore-based. If you haven’t followed Fortnite’s story, the villains have removed it as a “power” to thwart the Resistance’s plans. However, if we dive deeper, we could argue that this was designed to be a new way for Epic to shake up the experience of the game and see what the reception would be from their players. If it’s popular, there’s a possibility that we may see more no-build modes in the future. If players don’t take to it, they might revert Fortnite to “normal.”
Will Building Come Back?
There’s no indication about when the building will be once again an available mechanic in Fortnite. The loading screen information states that “it’s up to the Resistance to get it back,” implying that the no-build mode will not be a permanent change. Epic Games have yet to comment publicly on how long this will last, but rumors suggest that this alteration will only last for the first nine days of the season.
This is but a short blip to Fortnite’s surprisingly long life cycle; however, given Epic’s propensity for dramatic and, dare we say, unapologetic changes, we wouldn’t be surprised if building in the game would somehow look different when it returns. One thing that has kept Fortnite vibrant for so long is that it’s always looking into new ideas – a single update from Epic can impact the overall experience.
Final Thoughts
Removing a central element of Fornite like building perse may seem like it wouldn’t work, given how ingrained the mechanic is to the battle royale, but a lot of work has gone into tweaking the gameplay around that. Suppose the changes prove popular to the masses and the current long queue times are anything to go by. In that case, we could see this becoming a permanent OPTIONAL mode if you’re incredibly skilled at building and tunneling; good for you.
But for your average Jane/Joe that wants to wear the Outfits they bought from the Fortnite Item Shop. building isn’t just convoluted – it can slow things down. Nevertheless, regardless of your stand on the matter, it’s clear that Chapter 3, Season 2, is paving the way for something unique.
What do you think about the removal of the building mechanic in Fortnite? Are you a fan of it? Let us know down below!
