Fortnite star SypherPK explains how the game almost killed itself

In the five years it has been out, there have been several times players thought Fortnite Battle Royale was going to die. However, there was one update that changed everything for the game. Without this update, the game would never have blown up the way it did.

In a recent video, popular YouTuber SypherPK took a trip down memory lane and went over all of the most influential updates that have ever been added to the Battle Royale game. The list included the likes of Winterfest 2019, Thanos LTM, Marvel's Avengers crossover, and Vending Machines. Amidst all these important updates, there was one that changed the game forever.

SypherPK believes that it was update v1.6.3 that saved Epic Games' Battle Royale from dying an early death. The update had everything that a newly-launched game needed to become popular. Sypher believes that the crucial update actually made the game "playable."

"On September 26, 2017, Fortnite Battle Royale had just dropped a few weeks earlier, and it got a little bit of attention. A few streamers were playing it, but guys like Ninja were holding off on playing it. All the Battle Royale streamers were still playing PUBG at the time. Why did Ninja and all the other streamers not even want to try Fortnite?"

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The one update that saved Fortnite from dying

Epic Games recently celebrated the five-year anniversary of its Battle Royale game's launch. Before Epic Games employees went on a break, they released update v21.30. While some of these updates have only been bug fixes and cosmetic releases, there have been several updates that have changed the way the game was played.

Fortnite owes a lot of its success to update v1.6.3. This update was extremely crucial for several reasons and is exactly what the game required to beat its competition. Before this, most of the players were hooked on Battle Royale games like PUBG and H1Z1. Clearly, the new game from Epic Games was met with stiff competition.

The reason many players did not want to play the game was its $25 price tag. When the Battle Royale mode was released, players had to purchase it along with Save The World. Coupled with the fact that aiming and shooting in the game was much harder than the likes of PUBG and H1Z1, many popular streamers and pro players stayed away from it.

Fortunately, Epic Games recognized the flaws in its newly launched game and soon rolled out changes to make it better. Update v1.6.3 removed bloom while firing and added more accuracy to the weapons. Higher-tier weapons would be more accurate than floor loot. The update also made Fortnite free worldwide and attracted many streamers and players.

SypherPK mentions some of the important changes introduced in patch 1.6.3:

"This is also when they added duos and squads. Before this update, you could only play solos. If that wasn't enough, the nail in the coffin for the number one spot is this was also the update Fortnite Battle Royale went free-to-play."

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How did patch 1.6.3 change the game forever?

Before officially moving on to Epic Games' Battle Royale, popular Twitch icon Ninja claimed that the game was all bloom and needed an accuracy buff. Therefore, when update v1.6.3 made shooting more accurate with ADS, recoil control, and crouching, all the big names wanted to try the game out.

"This actually made the game playable, and people like Ninja decided that this update meant they'd give it a try and would go on to change history forever."

Clearly, SypherPK understands the exact reason why Fortnite blew up and how update v1.6.3 contributed to its rise. A free Battle Royale game with interesting graphics, a great storyline, and smooth gameplay definitely fascinated millions of players.