Fortnite 101

Here is all you need to know about Fortnite to get you up-to-speed on student lingo in your classroom. (PS: Checkout my post called "What The Follow?" to learn about social media definitions to always stay in-the-know!)

Who made it?

• Designer: Darren Sugg

• Composer: Rom Di Prisco

• Developers: Epic Games, People Can Fly

• Published by: Epic Games, Gearbox Software

What is it?

• Fortnite is set in contemporary Earth, where the sudden appearance of a worldwide storm causes 98% of the world's population to disappear, and zombie-like creatures rise to attack the remainder.

• It is a zombie survival game in which players can either team up or play solo, to try and be the last contestant standing, like in The Hunger Games. There are 100 players per game.

• It all began with Fortnite Battle Royale, the computer video game that launched last fall and has reportedly been downloaded more than 40 million times.

• Epic Games describes it as "a cross between Minecraft and Left 4 Dead."

• View the video below for a nice visual, from the Epic Games Homepage.

• You can also read more about Fortnite here.

Video Source: Epic Games Fortnite Homepage

Where can you play it?

• PC/Mac - Fortnite.com

• Xbox - Xbox Marketplace

• PlayStation - PlayStation Store

• iOS - Sign up for the Invite Event on iOS

When was it released?

• Fortnite was initially released on July 25, 2017.

Why is it such a hit?

• It is addictive, competitive, and easily accessible on multiple platforms.

• It has capitalized on the philosophy of "Lose by a little. Win by a lot." What this means, is players are always only a few "kills" away from winning each game. The first thing players see when they die is the health bar of the player that eliminated them. When they win, there is a certain euphoric adrenaline that comes with this - a feeling that you are the best of the best.

How can I incorporate this into my classroom in a productive and responsible way?

Students would love to hear the word "Fortnite" in their school day. The difficulty would be to reign them back in and make sure it is a controlled conversation. Since this is a violent game, I do respect keeping any reference of it out of the classroom. However, if you want to channel it in a positive way, here are some ideas:

• Create a math problem. Have students calculate the amount of minutes, hours, or days they have spent playing the game.

• Incorporate it in a writing prompt. Ask something that makes the students spark some inquisitive interest in the subject.

• Want to try it out yourself? Click here to register.

What are your thoughts on the game? Have you incorporated it into your lessons or asked students to refrain from discussing the game in school? Share below.