Is Fortnite competitive on the verge of dying? The state of FNCS in 2022

It is painfully obvious that Fortnite's competitive scene is nowhere near the level it once was.

While there are still many active professional players from the past, there have been several well-known names who have exited the Battle Royale's Esports sector in recent times.

Along with that, vocal opposition has been the norm regarding the current state of the FNCS. The format of its competition and lack of in-person events due to the global pandemic has left players less than happy.

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Competitive Fortnite may not be dying, but it is trending in the wrong direction

Dying is a strong word when it comes to competitive gaming. Fortnite as a competitive title has been alive and well for a long time, and it will truly only die when Epic Games lets it die.

That doesn't mean it can't falter and suffer a terrible fate in terms of likeability. Viewership could go down even further, more players could step away, and the incentive to compete could be gone.

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Pros who have stepped back

Aside from popular streamers like Nickmercs and Tfue, who have mostly moved away from Fortnite, there has been a significant exodus of top-level professional players from the competitive circuit.

The likes of Zarby, Saf, and Matsoe have all taken their leave. Going back even further, we saw Aiden make a complete switch to COD: Warzone. The last couple of years have not been a good look for the competitive side of things.

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FNCS format

Many players are not fans of the direction the FNCS is going and the format that must be played. Twitter is filled with negative opinions regarding the Fortnite Championship Series.

Some blame the lack of excitement on the meta. Others blame it on the qualifiers taking place over one weekend, seeing many top teams miss out on even making it to the next round.

The FNCS Duos format can be found on the official Epic Games website, detailing precisely what players are upset about. It is widely regarded as the worst format the game has seen.

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Where does Epic Games go from here?

The World Cup was the pinnacle of the competitive scene (Image via Epic Games)

No one is to blame for the state of competitive Fortnite and the FNCS other than Epic Games. They institute the meta and create the format in which the tournaments are played.

Since the World Cup, there hasn't been a notable LAN event. That is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic that swept across the world, but an attempt in less-affected areas wasn't even on the table.

It just feels like the competitive scene is on autopilot with no chance of it kicking into a higher gear. The viewership is still good on Twitch and YouTube, but compared to where it was, it could be considered just a fraction of that.

Overall, Fortnite is going to be just fine. The game itself is going nowhere. The same could be said for the competitive aspect, but "fine" isn't necessarily good. The future could be a dreary one.