How to Play Fortnite on PC

The new season of Fortnite has just begun, and with over 200 million total registered users and counting, we expect a tonne of new players to sign up for the new season. The question is, are these new players aware of how to play Fortnite on the PC?

Game Gavel created this guide aimed not only at beginners but at players of all skill levels who want to improve their skills. So, let’s dive into our guide to raise your chances of gaining that number 1 victory spot in Battle Royale.

How to Download Fortnite

Before you attempt to download a game you must ask yourself, can my computer run it? The best way to check if games are playable is to look at the required and minimum specs, as seen here:

Note: minimum requirements will result in a low resolution as you must have all settings on low.

If your gaming rig is not strong enough for playing Fortnite, you might wanna check out the best gaming PC out there. Alternatively, take a look at the best gaming laptops if you prefer enjoying video games on the move.

Installing Fortnite

The great thing about Fortnite Battle Royale is that it’s free to play, here’s how to install it:

• Click on this link to automatically start installing the Epic Games Launcher.

• Once the installation has finished, click on it in downloads to open the Epic Games Launcher setup.

• Select where you want to install the Game Launcher to and then click Install.
• If you already have an Epic account, sign in. If not, create an account for free.

• Once you have signed up, select where you want to install Fortnite to and click on Install.
• This may take a while, so sit back and read the rest of our guide to learn how to play Fortnite.
• Once Fortnite has finished installing, open it up.
• Go to the Library in the Epic Games Launcher and click on the Launch button under Fortnite.

• Once launched, click on Battle Royale under Game Modes.

You will now be in the lobby of Fortnite Battle Royale, ready to play a game. We will discuss where to go from here later, but first, let’s look into the Battle Royale game modes.

Fortnite Battle Royale Game Modes

There are many game modes you can choose from when in the Battle Royale lobby. To switch between game modes simply navigate to the lower right-hand corner of your screen, select “Solo”, and choose between the following:

Solo

Solo mode pairs you up with 99 other players that you must fight against to gain the number 1 victory spot.

Sounds intimidating, right?

Well, it really isn’t.

Solo mode gives you the freedom to be yourself as you won’t be fighting against teams of players who can gang up on you and destroy you within seconds.

You can practice fort building, camp out in bushes alone, and loot whatever you please without a teammate stealing the epic weapons. Sounds better now doesn’t it!

Duos

Duo mode allows you to join up with someone else, whether that’s a friend or a random player, you won’t be going in solo.

It is best to stick with your friend during duo mode as you’ll be paired up with 49 other teams, so although you don’t have the freedom that you’d have in solo, having a friend you can rely on has its benefits.

Squads

Squads allow you to invite more than one friend to create a team of four. Much like duos, playing with friends has its advantages. For instance, if you’re playing with a group of friends you can think of different strategies before entering a squad game to boost your chances of winning.

You’ll be paired up with 24 other teams, so plan your builds wisely.

If you wish to add a friend to your game simply click on the “Party Finder” icon in the lobby, or the “Friend Link” in the upper-right corner to copy an invite link that you can send to your friends.

How to Play Fortnite

Now onto the fun part, how to play Fortnite.

Familiarize Yourself with Fortnite Settings

Before you jump out of the bus you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the settings and controls of the game so that you know how to play. We have previously mentioned the best Fortnite settings, and although subjective, here are our suggestions:

Before you Land: When it comes to keybinds in Fortnite, the best thing you can do is play around with the default controls to see what works best for you so that you feel comfortable playing the game. However, you could also look at our list of best keybinds for Fortnite, which also contains some recommendations from pro players.

For 60-seconds before every game, you will find yourself in a holding area called Spawn Island. During this time you have the chance to practice some skills, you’ll require for the real game. For 1 minute you can practice destroying objects with your pickaxe, find some weapons and ammunition to practice shooting with, and master fort builds before entering the battle.

Note: You won’t be able to take anything into the game that you pick up in Spawn Island.

Getting off the Bus

Once the game has filled up with all 99 players, you will all automatically be put onto the Battle Bus which will transport you across the map.

Before you begin to think about jumping out of the bus, mark where you plan on landing so that you land exactly where you want to be. It is best to aim for houses as they are usually filled with hidden gems such as chests filled with weapons, ammunition, and medical supplies.

When it comes to jumping out of the bus, don’t follow where everyone else is jumping, yet aim for a town or a remote area with a hut depending on how brave you feel. Here’s where you can land:

Most Populated Areas:

• Tilted Towers
• Retail Row
• Pleasant Park

Least Populated Areas:

• Moisty Mire
• Junk Junction
• Snobby Shores

Gliding down from the sky gives you an eagle-eye view of the ground, giving you plenty of time to change where to land in case you have to bail last minute from your marked spot. Use this time as an opportunity to look out for shiny chests and weapons in other places to get ahead of your opponents.

Tip: If you already have a gun and you’re near a house, go inside and look under the stairs for an ammo crate – but beware, someone else might have got there first.

Destroy Structures for Materials to Build

Once you’ve opened up a chest, it is time to start collecting building materials. Just as you need components when you’re building your own gaming rig in real life, you also need materials to build defensive structures in Fortnite.

Considering building materials don’t take up slots in your backpack, you can use your pickaxe to collect as much wood, stone, and metal as you like. Break down things such as brick walls for stone, cars for metal, and trees for wood.

Tip: Aim at the blue circle when breaking objects, this will speed up the damage.

Building a Defensive Structure

It is vital that you know how to build a defensive structure in order to protect yourself from enemies. To enter building mode simply press Q. From here, you can access your blueprints – such as wall and floor – using the F1-F4 build slots. To change the materials you’ll need to right-click, rotate using R, and once you’re happy, left-click to build.

Other Building Controls:

• Walls: F1
• Ceiling/Floors: F2
• Stairs: F3
• Triangular Cones: F4
• Edit Structures: G

Tip: Wood is fragile, so shoot at your opponents wooden structures or use grenades to destroy them.

Fortnite Weapon Types

Finally, here’s what you have been waiting for: the weapons. Weapons in Fortnite come under the following different tiers:

• Grey: Common
• Green: Uncommon
• Blue: Rare
• Purple: Epic
• Yellow: Legendary

As you may have guessed, the higher the tier, the better the stats. Because of this, it is best to aim for blue, purple, or yellow. If you have any grey tier weapons in your inventory and stumble upon a blue or higher tier weapon, swap it out.

When it comes to using the weapons, one of the best tips you can follow is: don’t be so trigger-happy! Refrain from shooting enemies until you’re close enough to make the shot. Do you really want to embarrass yourself on stream by missing a shot and getting killed yourself? #unfollowed.

Note: You might want to invest in getting the best mouse for Fortnite to improve your shooting.

Popular Guns in Fortnite

Here are some of the all-time favorite guns in Fortnite. These two bad boys are useful in almost any situation, especially for beginners. However, even the pros like to carry them around – simply for their convenience.

Assault Rifle (SCAR)

• Damage: 36
• Reload Speed: 2.1 s
• Fire Rate: 5.5

Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle

• Damage: 116
• Reload Speed: 2.7 s
• Fire Rate: 0.33

Tip: Try to grab a mix of short and long-range weapons to drop opponents from any distance. However, note that Sniper Rifles are affected by bullet drop, meaning you must consider how distant an enemy is and how fast they are traveling before shooting at them.

Useful Fortnite Advice

Arrange your Inventory

Now that you have all of your weapons, it’s time to arrange your inventory. Keeping everything in order once your inventory starts to fill up will make things a lot easier to access. Knowing what is in each slot will save you time during moments when you need to switch between weapons fast.

Supply Drop

A Supply Drop is a loot crate that is filled with a mix of different supplies. There is no specific time in the game when the supply drop arrives, so you’ll just have to listen out for the landing noise and watch out for the blue circle with a smoke flare to figure out where it will drop.

Tip: Build walls around the blue circle that the Supply Drop will land on and stand inside to protect yourself from other greedy players who want it.

Supply Llama

Supply Llamas are another type of loot in Fortnite, and the coolest looking one at that. Only three llamas spawn per match, so you’ll have to get your hands on them fast! They typically contain ammo, resources, traps, and consumable items – a perfect drop for protection and staying alive.

Just like the Supply Drop, Llama Drop locations are totally random, so keep an eye out for it as you play. I doubt you’ll miss this colorful llama!

The Storm

After a few minutes of playing you will hear a noise and see an indicator to let you know that the storm is about to start shrinking.

If you can’t properly see your map, press M to open it to look for an area you can run to for safety inside the white circle. Everyone will be running to the safe zone, so look out for enemies and get ready to protect yourself with walls.

Emotes

Now onto the fun part, emotes. If you’ve heard of Fortnite, then you’ll definitely have heard of the floss. This is an emote which is simply a dance move that your player can perform in-game. Emotes don’t give you any advantages when it comes to gameplay, but you will look cool using the “Pure Salt” emote over an enemy that you have just annihilated.

Fortnite Seasons and Battle Pass

A new season in Fortnite means more emotes, weapons, and other loot that you can have fun with in-game. We are now on the 8th season, which should last around 10 weeks.

Is Fortnite Free?

Yes! You can download Fortnite Battle Royale for free. However, if you want to gain access to certain items and gaming experiences, then you’ll need to earn them or simply buy them from the store using the in-game currency known as V-Bucks.

What is Battle Pass?

Every Battle Pass is tied to an in-game season, which typically lasts 10 weeks. Within those 10 weeks, you have the opportunity to unlock rewards that the season has to offer – such as pets and emotes – by completing weekly challenges.

So although you have to pay for a Battle Pass (950 V-Bucks), it does have its advantages as you can earn rewards worth thousands of V-Bucks so long as you play enough hours.

Note: If you are a younger player, ask for parental permission before purchasing in-game items.

How to Get Better at Fortnite:

We have just covered how to play Fortnite, now let’s look into some general tips and tricks to help you improve how you perform in the game.

• If you die mid-game, spectate another player to learn how to play better next time.
• Play with friends and have a plan before entering duos or squads to boost your chances of winning.
• Watch Fortnite professionals on Twitch or YouTube to see what tactics they use.
• Invest in one of the best keyboards for Fortnite and mouse to improve performance.