Epic Games has just let out a mega-bombshell regarding the next Winterfest event of Fortnite, and it’s a big one. The game is going to feature 5-player squads, which are called ‘Quints’ in a more catchy way, and this is applicable in both the usual Build mode and Zero Build. The obtained info might be new to the majority of gamers but it totally changes the social experience of the game. The large friend groups, who have been having a hard time playing together, will be able to play. This announcement came from the super reliable leaker HYPEX, and the reply of the community is… well, let’s say it is not one sided but mostly positive.
As a matter of fact, during the Winterfest event, Fortnite will be offering a new squad choice for 5 players dubbed Quints. The selection will be available in Standard Battle Royale with buildings and in the Zero Build mode. This has been a long-requested feature by players with larger friend groups, and it will likely change the game a lot.
Now, let’s get to the whole uproar. Social media was immediately buzzing with questions and excitement as the first reactions. The majority of players were just asking the main question: when is Winterfest? The comments like ‘Is winterfest this Thursday or what’ from user pqterrr and ‘When does winterfest start’ from traumasized were very common. Epic has not given a specific date in this leak, so everyone is just waiting for that official announcement. However, the bigger issue was all about this five-stack life.
However, some players were very thrilled by the news. User Salty_Scars addressed an undecided comment, saying, “It’s perfect for us! My friends and I have been waiting for this change to play together since they removed six-stack blitz. I am thrilled!” Others like Brandon, who just said, “You probably don’t have a lot of friends to play with. This is a great addition,” echoed that sentiment. It is very clear that for a small but passionate group of players, this is not a gimmick anymore—it’s a way out. They have been put on the side because the limit of four players in a squad left one person out.
Not every single person is happy though. The most outspoken critic was ViceXXII who, in a very straightforward manner, expressed, “What purpose would this serve, no one has asked for this.” He sparked a mini-debate in the comments section, and several users like MrPunk86 were countering, “Actually, people did ask for this. You might not have but people did.” It’s the classic Fortnite divide. Then there were some concerns that it would lead to even more splitting of the already divided player base. A user called alteragent_ expressed the sentiment, “Wow, the player count in different modes is going to be even more divided and there will be more bots.” The concern is indeed reasonable—creating another queue may mean longer waiting times or AI fillers, which not every user appreciates.
And as for the name? ‘Quints’ is… well, not a pleasant one. It even sounds like a slur, as familyguybrian8 jokingly pointed out, “Why does ‘quints’ sound like a slur?” Now it indeed does have a weird sound. Most probably will call it five-stack or something, but Quints seems to be what we are stuck with. However, the potential for chaos is enormous. User ShadowLight116 summed up the mood very well: “It going to be chaos bro we already got squad now we are going to get 5 players squads… in battle Royal the zero build and build is going to be insane.” Just imagine the scenario: a team of four plus a fifth one sneaking up behind you. The gunfights will definitely be super hectic, a mess but in a good way.
Hold on, what was I talking about? Oh yes, the other thing. The replies also contained a stream of random yet related threads. Quite a number of users like loan wolf and Bladed Joker were inquiring if there could be a ‘solo vs bots’ mode, which seems to be a completely different request altogether. Then, there’s the whole… other drama. A user named RealGojifan01 tagged HYPEX asking about a possible Ghostbusters crossover while linking to an old tweet about vehicle cosmetics. So, even if Quints is the center of attention, there is this cross-over hype that, although simmering, is still present, which Fortnite never does just one thing at a time, does it?
We are also reminded of things that you shouldn’t ignore, such as… the abandoned car on the track—or should I say the elephant in the room. A lengthy post from The Fortnite Autopedia had a complete mood shift, turning into a very emotive appeal for Rocket Racing. It has been two years since that mode, a period during which many players have enjoyed titles like Elden Ring on Xbox and PlayStation.
