Fortnite is taking on Minecraft and the latest leak all but confirms it

Fortnite is taking on Minecraft in a huge way, but this is not the first time. Epic Games has a few informative blogs about the Creative mode, in which they talk about the key differences players will encounter when creating in Fortnite versus Minecraft. Given that the latter is older, taking on this juggernaut is not an easy task. Yet, for all, Epic Games could potentially be doing just that in Chapter 5.

According to veteran leaker/data-miner iFireMonkey, Fortnite could soon make use of procedural generation technology. This can be seen in several video games, including No Man's Sky, in which almost everything is procedurally generated. With everything being randomized, players get to experience something new every time.

Based on the leaks at hand, the upcoming LEGO game mode could make use of this technology in a huge way. Scripts pertaining to this have been found and could indicate that every LEGO world could be unique in nature.

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Fortnite's LEGO game mode could rival Minecraft

The benefit of procedural generation is that players would find something new every time. While the core mechanics would remain the same, the layout of the map and other factors, such as terrain, would be very different. This would include things like flora, fauna, and perhaps even climate type.

The distribution of resources would also be shuffled from one world to the next. Since Crafting is seemingly part of the LEGO game mode in Fortnite Chapter 5, procedural generation would directly have an impact on this mechanic as well.

As such, this is something that Minecraft has been doing for over a decade. However, it would seem that Epic Games has noted this and created their own version of it for LEGO.

"World Seeds" could also be added in, allowing players to visit specific worlds if they so choose. This would ensure that players are never bored of the map and can access new ones instantly. While this is pushing the envelope farther than ever before, this is seemingly just the beginning.

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Fortnite Chapter 5 Battle Royale could feature some procedural generation

According to leakers/data-miners theragingreaper and GMatrixGames, Epic Games has showcased proof of concept for procedural generation using the Unreal Engine. The video in question shows a character running through door frames. When passing through each one, the surrounding area is changed and procedurally generated.

Given that this was showcased on what could be the Fortnite Chapter 5 map, Epic Games could use this technology in Battle Royale mode as well. The flora and perhaps even fauna that would be present in Chapter 5 could be randomized from one match to the other.

As seen in the video, when the character passes through each door frame, the trees not only change color but are entirely different. This could be used to make the same map feel different for players in every match.

That being said, these minor changes could be the stepping stones to something much larger than Epic Games is yet to reveal. Perhaps, in time, the entire Battle Royale mode could be procedurally generated. While Named Locations and Landmarks would remain the same, other assets could be randomized.

It's an intriguing concept, and given how far the Unreal Engine has come over the years, it's not far from being a reality. If indeed the LEGO mode features procedural generation, it could serve as testing grounds for larger such projects that could be in the pipeline.