There’s another limited time mode happening in Fortnite Battle Royale right now, something that Epic has been offering regularly ever since it debuted 50 vs. 50 in December. This one, however, feels like it has everything to do with the fact that the developer just opened up the pilot program for the mobile game on iOS, removing some of the last tenuous barriers we all had towards complete surrender to Fortnite addiction. Blitz mode starts today, and it’s the perfect compliment to the new platform.
Blitz Mode is the standard game on steroids and amphetamines: there’s a storm circle formed from the beginning of the game, restricting the safe zone from go. It moves more quickly and aggressively from there, with more loot and more resources to match the faster pacing. The maximum game time is 15 minutes, at least if you’re not mowed down by an Epic assault rifle within 5. Battle royale games typically involve a lot of slow, nervous exploration and tension, and in many ways, Blitz mode is no different. It just does it all a whole lot faster.
It’s a great mode on any platform, giving you more opportunities to get into combat, more chances to use rare weaponry and, for players like me, a better shot at winning in chaotic final firefights. Fortnite is already a quicker, more approachable version of PUBG, where matches can last around 40 minutes and where you might spend a huge portion of that time without seeing another player on the much bigger map. Blitz mode just doubles down on that idea.
But Blitz is particularly perfect for mobile, where you’re more likely to be playing in short stolen moments and extended bathroom breaks: the prospect of near-constant action from drop to finish just fits with the idea of snagging a quick match on the go rather than settling in for a much longer fight in a standard game mode. Mobile can do that as well, of course, it’s just also suited to quicker play.
Fortnite Battle Royale’s iOS version is still set to see a lot of tweaking and tuning before wider release, for which we still don’t have a final release window. And while I wouldn’t expect to see Epic make any new permanent additions to its game modes, this one is the best candidate yet for doing so, particularly if the mobile player base grows as quickly as I expect it to. Oddly enough, getting shot at all the time actually makes the whole thing much less stressful.
