I have long ignored the phenomenon that is Fortnite. I tried it briefly on the Nintendo Switch a couple of years ago but didn’t like it. It wasn’t until my son reached gaming age that I was forced to take a second look. Now behind the PC (as he occupies the switch) I have become hooked and play it regularly. Here’s my take on how to have fun at Fortnite if you are a casual player.

Play Zero Build

Fortnite is known for its build mechanic, but I dislike it. It adds a layer of complexity that is not to my taste. Luckily, there’s the Zero Build format. Judging by the popularity (player numbers aren’t much lower than for the standard Battle Royale mode with building, I’m not the only one. Instead of building prowess, the focus is on tactical game play and shooting.

Play Aggressively

One criticism often leveled at Fortnite is that its ultimate goal of last man standing promotes a cautious play style, if not outright camping. I however find Fortnite to be much more enjoyable when you actively seek out confrontations, which is quite easily done given its radar and visualization of fire (if sound effect visualization is turned on, which it should be, as it also makes it much easier to detect nearby enemies and loot chests). Not only will you often find yourself in an advantageous position where you can attack players who are preoccupied with each other – you’ll also be able to eliminate players that you might otherwise have to kill at a later stage.

While the ultimate goal may be a Victory Royale, my most fun games are definitely those where I racked up a lot of kills. Camping/cautious play has its place in Fortnite, but this should be reserved for the end game, i.e. with only a few players left in small storm circles.

Do Quests

Fortnite can feel a bit aimless after some time if you only focus on kills and getting that Victory Royale. It will also hinder your rise to higher levels (which releases new Battle Pass stuff – getting the Battle Pass is actually not a bad idea, as it is a one-time purchase. You can earn enough V-Bucks through the Battle Pass yo buy a new one each season), as XP gain from kills is limited. This is where Quests come in. They not only give a sense of direction to your actions, they also provide lots of XP.

Don’t play too much

It’s easy to get burned out when playing for hours each day. My suggestion would be to limit your playing time. If your main goal is gaining XP, I would focus on getting the Daily Quests done. While it’s tempting to immediately play another game, I almost universally fail at getting a Crown Victory that way. In my opinion, it’s better to stop on a high.