Fortnite has simply concluded a surprising reside occasion that noticed the sport’s storyline propelled ahead in dramatic type, with a shock defeat for Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s heroic character, and an eye-popping unmasking of his ally performed by Ben Starr.
Epic Video games’ battle royale is now in downtime following the occasions of Shattered, the long-awaited conclusion to its newest season that noticed gamers resolve the destiny of a months-long grudge match between Johnson’s The Basis and his frosty rival The Ice King.
Shattered was distinctive because it supplied two completely separate narrative viewpoints from which to view its occasions, relying on whether or not you’d beforehand backed The Basis or The Ice King over the course of the season. Gamers who backed The Basis started the occasion in a bunker with trusty ally The Customer (performed by Clair Obscur’s Ben Starr) and long-time Fortnite protagonist Jonesy, selecting up banter and clues to the mission forward. Gamers who picked The Ice King, in the meantime, received a glimpse into his wintry fortress, and realized extra about his mission to serve the sport’s present main antagonist, The Darkish Voyager.
As the 2 groups moved towards one another, gamers briefly got here into fight — although the fireworks have been really reserved for the showdown between The Basis and The Ice King themselves, which gamers may comply with close-up as they smashed up one another and big chunks of the Fortnite battle royal Island. Finally, The Basis misplaced — no matter crew, gamers have been knowledgeable on display screen that the general winner of the season was not the previous WWE star — and due to that, gamers noticed him frozen strong, his final destiny left unsure. The Ice King fared no higher ultimately, nevertheless, as he was double-crossed by The Darkish Voyager, and seemingly lowered to atoms.
It is attention-grabbing to ponder how the pair may need fared if gamers picked The Basis to win. Would their fates have been comparable, in some way? Both means, each characters have been taken off the board, for now.
Shattered concluded with gamers witnessing Fortnite’s long-term macguffin, the Zero Level, reforged simply in time to fully revamp the sport’s map — a mid-year refresh of a form by no means seen in Fortnite earlier than. Narratively, it is a cool concept and becoming with the Zero Level’s return. Mechanically, it is also an indication Epic Video games could also be eager to maintain its sport feeling more energizing than ever as participant numbers decline.
However probably the most surprising a part of the occasion was nonetheless to return, as Jonesy mirrored on its occasions and realized one thing fishy was occurring… just for trusty ally The Customer to take away his helmet and reveal himself to truly be Geno — the last word villain of Fortnite by no means correctly glimpsed in-game earlier than, however teased in different reside occasions and depicted in spinoff comedian books. Geno is a determine that followers have needed to lastly see since his identify was initially referenced 5 years in the past. The boss of the Imagined Order, the creator of the Oathbound, his identify is legend amongst Fortnite lore followers… and now he’s right here, as Fortnite begins its subsequent season in just some hours’ time.
On social media, followers have reacted with reward for the reside occasion, which featured extra gameplay and narrative surprises than some other in current reminiscence. Starr, in the meantime, has revelled in confirming his function as Geno going ahead (and sure, when he appeared tonight at Summer season Recreation Fest, he was certainly sporting a pin teasing his character’s true id).
For individuals who need to watch the reside occasion, you’ll be able to watch its introduction from each groups’ perspective above, with its important gameplay then additionally watchable from the perspective of each Staff Basis and Staff Ice King.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
