Let’s get the answer out of the way straight off the bat. The answer is; it’s completely subjective. Both of them are great games in their own way, each with a unique spin on the Battle Royale formula. Depending on what you’re looking for in your Battle Royale experience, will determine which of the two is better. PUGB Corp suing Fortnite creator Epic Games in South Korea for copyright violation is a “thing”, if you ask me, I think it’s a freakin stupid movement that needs knocking on the head now. That, however, is for another time.
Moving back to the titular question, both of these games are fundamentally sharing the same core concept; though it’s a concept that predates both games. One hundred players are thrown onto an ever-shrinking large map and are tasked with killing anything that moves until one player is left standing. Impressively, Fortnite: BR was crafted in just two months time using assets from their Fortnite: StW build. It’s still technically in BETA, much like PUBG on console, which took a great deal longer to create than that of its counterpart.
Still, there’s some pretty fine distinctions between each game. PUBG sports more of a realistic theme whereas Fortnite offers up a game that’s suitable for most age groups, largely thanks to its cartoon-like design. Fortnite also has its PvE fort-building system in place, which enables players (or teams depending on mode) to fortify structures and use them as a place of defense, granted, of course, they have gathered enough on-map resources to do so. Another notable difference is that Fortnite is free to play, whereas PUBG is not.
In any case, both game’s core functionalities are in-line with one another. Skydive onto a large terrain, scavenge resources and weapons, contend with the ever-shrinking map and fight for survival. It’s the game modes that largely set each game apart. PUBG has quite a number of modes on offer, including; ranked play – solo, duo, teams of four or solo versus teams of four. PUBG also enables first-person play and third-person play. On top of that, PUBG caters for more inventive modes such as Zombies and War, as well as special events.
Fortnite, on the other hand, offers up solo, duo and squads of four. The main difference being that Fortnite doesn’t allow for first-person view and can only be played in third-person. Ironically, every fortnight or so, a new limited-time mode is typically thrown into the mix. Examples so far include the likes of fifty versus fifty, snipers only, five teams of twenty and the excellently received inclusion of Infinity Gauntlet. Infinity Gauntlet was a mode that threw in Avengers: Infinity War’s gauntlet, that very one that the towering Thanos uses.
It was a very interesting addition, one that saw players scurrying to locate the gauntlet to transform into Thanos himself; complete with unique and deadly abilities. It goes without saying that Fortnite’s constantly evolving gameplay is not only maintaining its impressive player-base, but continues to expand it. Though, one glaring omission that Fortnite arguably suffers from, that PUBG utilizes, is the ability to drive vehicles. PUBG allows players to take to the map in cars, boats, bikes, buggies and more, whereas Fortnite only offers the battle-bus.
It’s not a huge loss for Fortnite, given the smaller map-size, but a difference that is often used as a comparison. Then there’s the question of maps. PUBG offers a total of three maps; Erangel, Miramar, and Savage. Whereas Fortnite only houses one single map. Though, with that being said, Fortnite cleverly evolves its map over-time, such as the arrival of a comet that drastically changed the appearance of map sections. It’s interesting, for sure, but if you’re after diversity, PUBG is probably where you’ll find these needs better fed.
There’s also quite a difference between how each game plays out. You see, Fortnite is more of a fast-paced shooter whereas PUBG serves as a strategic slower-paced affair. So again, it all boils down to what you want from each game. My preference sits with Fortnite. It performs much better than PUBG and is easily the most stable game of the two. PUBG, although still massively popular, isn’t as popular as it once was. The game’s monthly revenue has been surpassed by Fortnite and I suspect that will continue to be the case, given the latter’s rise in popularity.
Maybe that’s the reason for the lawsuit? Who knows. I’m not a legal man but I can see that each game is distinct enough and popular enough to share the spotlight while offering differing styles and themes. PUBG is more of a rounded military shooter in comparison to Fortnite’s build-and-kill fast-paced structure. It all falls to your taste in shooters. If you’re looking for an arcadey experience that supports wacky and imaginative weapons, Fortnite is the way to go. If however, you crave something more tense and realistic, PUBG has your back.
In regard to the titular question, the answer lays within what you want. Both of these games are brilliant in their own unique way, despite leaning on that same “kill-99 player” format. I’m sure each will continue to thrive and innovate in due course and I wish each experience the very best in doing so. What are your thoughts? Do you prefer the realism of PUBG or do you hang your hat in Fortnite? Got anything you want to add to this? Go ahead and feel more than welcome to sound off in the comments below to make yourselves heard.
Want to keep up to date with the latest Xt reviews, Xt opinions and Xt content? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
