Dave Smith/Business InsiderFor the better part of 2018, I’ve immersed myself in “Fortnite Battle Royale,” the most popular game in the world right now. When I’m not playing, I’ve been watching and studying the best “Fortnite” streamers on Twitch, like Ninja.
Still, after dozens of hours of playing and watching “Fortnite,” I felt like I wasn’t actually improving in the game. I was dying early and often. And while I may have been getting the hang of the various controls, building and shooting — the two most essential functions in “Fortnite” for defense and offense, respectively — were still not intuitive to me. I was getting easily overwhelmed in firefights. And this was frustrating to me, since I play a lot of video games.
Recently, though, I made a breakthrough. I’m nowhere near the level of pro streamers like Ninja, but I’m consistently finishing in the top 10 to 25 players, and usually with at least one or two kills under my belt.
Here’s what I’d suggest to anyone who’s struggling to get better at “Fortnite”:
1. Try playing on a different device.
Personally, my biggest breakthrough with “Fortnite” was simply playing the game on a different device.
I had spent probably a few dozen hours playing “Fortnite” on my PlayStation 4, unsuccessfully, until I finally tried downloading the game to my iPhone X. I noticed an instant and immediate improvement.
For some reference: Prior to playing “Fortnite” on my iPhone, I was never able to successfully hit anyone with a sniper rifle while playing on my PS4. But I got two sniper kills — not just hits, but kills — in one of my first matches when I switched to my iPhone. In general, I’ve found it’s much easier to move, build, aim, and shoot on the iPhone compared to the PlayStation 4. And I bet it’s even easier if you play the game on PC.
If you’re interested, here are the controls for “Fortnite” if you’re playing on an iPhone. As you can see, it’s very simple.
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The game is coming soon to Android, says Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite.” But it’s unclear when, and which devices will be supported.
2. Lower the sensitivity settings for your controls.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
I overheard Tyler “Ninja” Blevins mention this tip on his Twitch stream, so I tried it for myself. And sure enough, lowering the sensitivity settings of your controls — whether you’re using a console controller or a keyboard and mouse — can sometimes help you steady your aim.
To visit your settings, click the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen while you’re playing the game or waiting in the lobby. There, you’ll see your controller sensitivities. While you’re there, though, be sure to revisit your other controls and settings. You may want to tweak some of those, apply the changes, and see how the game plays. You never know: Sometimes, a simple tweak is all you need.
3. Once the game starts, wait until the final seconds to jump out of the flying bus.
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Every “Fortnite Battle Royale” game starts with the 100 online players jumping out of the flying bus and onto the island below. But if you notice, most people tend to jump out as early as possible — probably because so many players just want to get in there and start killing each other.
Don’t be one of those people.
If you’re patient, and you wait until the final seconds to jump from the bus, you’ll usually land with fewer enemy players nearby. That gives you more time to find weapons and protection. And if you’re completely alone, you can use this valuable time to practice shooting and building. Since “Fortnite” doesn’t have its own practice mode, aside from the seconds-long loading area before the start of every game, this can be the best way to practice switching between weapons, trying out new guns, and building ramps and fortresses.
Building and shooting are essential to playing and winning in “Fortnite” so fly to the end of the map, quietly gather materials and gear, and use that isolation to your advantage and practice.
4. Pay attention to sounds.
“Fortnite:Battle Royale”/Epic Games
The audio in “Fortnite” is excellent. You can hear if someone is near you, above you, or below you. So use that audio to your advantage. Lie in wait for an unsuspecting player coming into a house to shotgun them quickly. If you hear gunshots off in the distance, go take a look — you might be able to snipe someone who is dealing with another enemy player.
5. When you die, don’t re-queue right away. Think about what you did wrong, and try to learn from it.
Dying is common in “Fortnite,” but every death should be a learning experience. Use the Replay feature to see how you died from your killer’s perspective. Study your own movements, your loadout, and plan ahead for the future accordingly.
