Fortnite Confirms What We Suspected About No Build Mode

"Fortnite" is indisputably one of the most popular games in the world. It distinguished itself from other battle royales with its fun, colorful aesthetic, its free-to-play model, and several unique mechanics. This winning combination, in addition to new seasonal content, has kept the game relevant year after year. That's why it was so surprising when Epic announced that it was temporarily removing one of the game's most famous mechanics: building.

Building in "Fortnite" has always been a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's useful for producing cover and adds a dimension to the game that is unique from other battle royales. On the other, many find the mechanic annoying and would prefer a game mode with more focus on shooting. The removal of building from the game in Chapter 3 Season 2 wasn't originally supposed to be forever, but the new battle-only mode has been immensely popular to the point that Epic suffered from server issues as lobby queues backed up. Leaks from multiple sources seemed to indicate that Epic had plans to make no-building modes a permanent option. Now, it seems that these leaks have been confirmed.

Epic announced the new addition on the official "Fortnite" Twitter page with a trailer featuring several prominent characters from the game partaking in a battle that ranges from city streets to a frozen wilderness. What it did not feature was any of the game's trademark building mechanics. The tweet was captioned, "Welcome to Fortnite Zero Build. No building, no problem! It's all about your combat skills on the ground."

As popular as the no-build mode has been, the decision to make the mode permanent seems to be dividing fans. "World of Warcraft" streamer Asmongold replied to the tweet, stating, "f*** it, I think I'm gonna start playing Fortnite again." Several other users seemed to agree and expressed their eagerness to play the new pared-down version of the game. Some also argued that the new game mode is an addition and that the normal build mode will still be available for those who want it.

Others seemed discontent that the studio is focusing on removing features instead of adding new ones. One Twitter user argued that Epic's energy would be better spent adding new weapons and locations rather than removing a feature that has defined the game and distinguished it from other battle royales.

Fans are welcome to try it out and formulate their own opinions now, as "Fortnite: Zero Build" is currently live.