Fortnite Creative has hit a new record with number of players engaging with it. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that it was not even driven by Epic Games. Record-breaking player counts were recorded with a map called Steal The Brainrot, which no one was expecting.
The map is a fun chaos-brains steal-the-flag thing (I think?). It has defeated the Red VS Blue events XXXTentacion campaign, which is an icon with so much love. That was a huge cultural event, and now that is being overtaken with this. The gaming community is having some… feelings about it.
As expected, the announcement garnered a wide range of reactions. Users like Squatingdog, who has always been active in the Fortnite community, is now commenting, “Incredible!!! Craving to see more and more records getting broken in the IEFN space!” which is that in-editor Fortnite creative thing that they are heavily promoting.
And this is not calming down soon. So many users are like… what is happening to Fortnite? One in particular wrote, “What are we doing as a community?” which I honestly agree with. The comments only get worse, “This is what 900 people lost their jobs to🤦” which in my opinion is uncalled for, but it’s referring to the Epic layoffs that affected a bunch of people.
Most people are focusing on Fortnite’s never ending identity crisis and what it is even supposed to be. Is it trying to compete with battle royale titans like PUBG and Call of Duty, or is it trying to morph into something like Roblox? The other big talking point is Steal The Brainrot being a blatant rip-off of Roblox games. One of the comments said, “just a copy off of Roblox😭💔💔,” and another one commented, “it’s literally made for children who have nothing better to do than play addictive slop games.”
Interestingly, the backlash does not seem to be hindering the growth and engagement. As some comments have suggested, players are engaging with this content more than the actual battle royale itself. PowerVin noted, “It’s literally the most played map in all of Fort rn, beating even the official modes,” which is kind of insane the more you think about it.
Completionism is the reason for most successes. Epic has been pushing creative maps through their discovery tab and has even run social media marketing campaigns. Several commenters said how the devs have been “promoting it in the news feed and on Social Media,” which surely increases visibility. But as some have said, the game has an insidious addictive nature, especially for younger players.
The entire XXXTentacion discussion is interesting; some people in the comments asked why he never got a Fortnite skin despite the big event, while others were just dropping condolences to the artist. There is some nostalgia mixed with the older days of Fortnite.
In my view, Steal The Brainrot is the direction Fortnite is headed in. Good or bad, it’s a clear indicator of the direction. The creative tools are getting better, the community is making crazier stuff, and Epic is heading all-in with turning Fortnite more of a platform than a game. It’s an odd era for Fortnite, but still, records are records, and this one was put to rest with a colossal bang.
Others are so dissatisfied with Fortnite’s evolution that they are considering other games entirely. Comments have suggested switching to “Rocket League,” “Overwatch,” or “Marvel Rivals.” On the other hand, people are saying, why not let them have their fun? More reasonably stated, “Everyone completely forgot that actual toddlers play this game, like this isn’t surprising. Just play the game you want without shame” which is a more understanding take about the ‘toddler’ gaming demographic.
To summarize, Fortnite Creative is setting new records, the community has mixed feelings, and we’re all currently witnessing this madness unfold. I’m very unsure whether this highlights a glimpse of the gaming future or a passing fad, but in the meantime, Steal The Brainrot is the undisputed king of the moment.
