The battle royale game mode isn`t exactly new, but its current mainstream spotlight can be attributed to the virality of PlayerUnknown`s Battlegrounds. After it sold tens of millions of copies on Steam during its early access period alone, there was bound to be a wave of games trying to capitalize on the genre`s exploding popularity. As of now, though, Fortnite: Battle Royale is the frontrunner in challenging PUBG`s dominance. And while many have dubbed Fortnite`s rendition a PUBG clone, there are just as many stark differences as there are similarities between the two.A drastic contrast in presentation will hit you first. PUBG has a realistic, military-inspired look that`s layered on top of the already nerve-racking concept. Fortnite looks like a cartoon; it`s bright, colorful, and animated in a way that takes the edge off the imposing battle royale mode. Oddly enough, both games use Epic`s Unreal Engine 4 despite the divergent graphical styles. These games were also born out of disparate foundations.At its core, PUBG shares much of the same DNA as its predecessors. Brendan `PlayerUnknown` Greene himself helped create the original battle royale mods for Arma, and through several iterations these mods eventually led to H1Z1: King of the Kill, which became the premiere battle royale game just before PUBG came onto the scene. However, PUBG offers a more accessible and streamlined experience than its forebears while retaining the military sim framework that taps into your tactical instincts.This begs the question: How did Fortnite, of all games, become the one to go toe-to-toe with PUBG? Fortnite has its own tumultuous development history, but its initial vision was a mashup of Gears of War`s Horde mode and Minecraft`s construction mechanics, driven by a loot grind to hook players. At first, a game that controls fast and loose, almost like an arena shooter, doesn`t seem ripe for battle royale. However, Epic was able to adapt Fortnite into its own battle royal mode ...
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