Whether one’s a fan or not, it’s become difficult to deny the impact that Fortnite has had on the industry, as Epic’s battle royale keeps touching new heights and doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop anytime soon. Not only did it popularize the genre that even franchises like Call of Duty have been trying their luck with, but it also proved to be a virtual world.
Players could log on and catch up with their friends, regardless of their physical location. It may have started as a free-to-play battle royale where gamers had to survive, but it transformed into something grander, and the original director, Donald Mustard, was one of the key reasons for that.
Live Events in Fortnite Used to Be Virtual Spectacles
Four years ago, Epic announced that the popular artist Travis Scott would be performing in Fortnite as a special event that lasted for a weekend. The excitement levels among the community were high, as La Flame was scheduled to debut a new collaboration with Kid Cudi called The Scotts, and it was a feeling unlike any other.
Fans waited in queues to witness the virtual spectacle, and it ended up delivering on various fronts, showcasing Donald Mustard’s game’s ability to be more than just a battle royale. That was followed by more similar events featuring singers like The Weeknd and Ariana Grande, but unfortunately, everything changed when The Big Bang event hit Fortnite.
“Basically, the event team was starting to be needed to work on other stuff,” stated the game’s former lead creator, Donald Mustard, during a recent interview, as he departed from Epic Games a few months before rapper Eminem was supposed to take center stage in the game.
The event led to the title branching out into separate sections called Festival, Rocket Racing, and LEGO, and Mustard says that “it was devastating to me” because it felt like a lot of “the magic” was taken out of it.
Donald Mustard Wanted the Game to Be a Social Space
The former Fortnite head continued that he wanted the game to be a social space “where you can hang out with your friends and express yourself however you want,” but others at Epic Games, like founder Tim Sweeney, had different ideas.
Similar to how Ready Player One handled things, the battle royale is now divided into various modes, and although musical performances are still taking place in Festival, most of the charm is now lost.
These events are no longer free and a place where players can enjoy virtual gatherings, but they are now a means to market paid content for a mode that not many gamers seem to care about.
Do you agree with Mustard and also miss the live events that Fortnite used to host? Let us know in the comments!
