Fortnite fans are probably staring at a lifeless black hole, wondering when their beloved Battle Royale will make a return. So effective was Epic’s marketing sting (perfectly timed with a bit of server maintenance) that I’ve seen many people on forums and Facebook asking if Fortnite’s really dead and buried. It is, of course, not. With the amount of money …

The servers are down, millions of players are currently staring at a black hole in the sky and something is about to happen inside of Fortnite: Battle Royale. So what the hell is it?

Ideas may give birth to games, but it is art that shapes those dreams into something tangible. Art that guides a project, that gives it a signature look and a style that sets it apart from other games. In an age where everything was browner than Midrand in summer, Borderlands was a revelation at the time. Colourful, cheeky and brimming with personality, it was the visuals that helped set this grand experiment apart from so many other games that were released at the time.

Fortnite: Battle Royale’s greatest triumph is how it has managed to adapt with the times and create a map which is always evolving. From Dusty Divot to Flush Factory, the landmass may be familiar but the action inside of it has played home to some of the biggest events in video games. That being said, a change is necessary if Fortnite wants to continue dominating the games market and avoid stagnation.

Tired of being mercilessly killed by absurdly-skilled players mere seconds after you start a game of Fortnite? Season 11 will even the playing field massively, as better matchmaking options and bots will help provide a fairer challenge to players of any skill level.

Season 10 of Fortnite began with the unveiling of the B.R.U.T.E, and its addition has been controversial to say the least. Some Fortnite players love it because its wonderfully silly, others hate it the B.R.U.T.E because it can provide an overwhelming advantage especially in competitive play. So what’s the point of these mechs? To give some players a leg up in competition, according to Epic.

Last week, we told you that the major platform holders – that’s Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo – had made it so that in the future, publishers wouldn’t be able to release games on their hardware that didn’t explicitly disclose loot box odds. Joining them would be a number of publishers aligned to the ESA, who also pledged to disclose loot box odds in the future. Those publishers include Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Conspicuous by its absence is Epic Games. Now, in a separate statement, they’ve said they would be implementing a similar policy in future.

I don’t think anybody really likes paid, randomised loot boxes…other than game publishers who chuckle with malevolent glee as they rhythmically tap the tips of their fingers together whenever they see how much money they make off of them. Buying digital lucky packets kinda sucks, especially when you’re after a specific bit of kit, armour or decal and it’s hidden behind a randomised pay wall.