A look at the Fortnite C3S2 competitive update.
Today, Epic Games released a blog post covering various competitive Fortnite plans for Chapter 3 Season 2. ESTNN breaks down everything you need to know.
Competitors have been eager to start the season after the recent season launch and Arena Mode pre-season period. With Cash Cups due to begin on April 4, Epic Games recently deployed Arena Mode loot pool adjustments and weapons changes in preparation for the next few months.
The latest competitive blog post includes information about Zero Build tournaments, the Arena Mode landscape and Lighting Cups. We expect to hear more in the coming weeks, but let’s dive into Epic’s latest communication with the competitive scene.
Arena Mode Reset + Incentives
Players worldwide have long campaigned for Epic Games to introduce some incentive when playing Arena Mode. Competitors wanted something more to work toward, whether it would be an in-game cosmetic or V-Bucks after reaching the Champion’s League. The developers have finally delivered in this regard following the Arena Mode rank reset.
Those who reach Contender’s League Division 5 will receive a cosmetic in-game reward starting this season. More prizes are available to players for every rank achieved after Division 5 until Champion’s League Division 10. While the precise cosmetics are unknown, it’s a significant step in the right direction for Epic and the entire competitive scene.
Lightning Cups
Last season, Epic introduced Lightning Cups—tournaments constructed differently than the usual Fortnite competitions. One of the formats from Chapter 3 Season 1 focused heavily on one outstanding match performance. The other “Best Of” format counted only a team’s five best matches out of seven toward their final score.
This concept will return to Chapter 3 Season 2–first with a Zero Build Lightning Cup. Epic’s blog post revealed a scheduled start date of April 5 for the Zero Build players to test their skills. It’s unclear what format we should expect, so stay tuned for more on that and other Lighting Cups.
Zero Build Tournaments
Speaking of Zero Build, Fortnite fans worldwide have welcomed this game type from the outset. The seven-day no-build period to kick off Chapter 3 Season 2 brought many veteran Fortnite players back home (https://estnn.com/content-creators-agree-fortnites-no-build-gimmick-is-fun-refreshing/). Moreover, Zero Build caught steam from a competitive perspective. YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren hosted a content-creator-only tournament dubbed Fortnite Mondays (https://estnn.com/youtuber-ludwig-announces-streamer-only-fortnite-mondays-tournament/); Twitch Rivals announced a $450K USD Zero Build tournament (https://estnn.com/fortnite-twitch-rivals-450k-zero-build-tournament-everything-you-need-to-know/).
The competitive blog post update indicates the new game mode is not going anywhere. Epic advised readers to watch the in-game “Compete” tab for more Zero Build tournaments. Check back with ESTNN for more as these competitions come to light.
FNCS Chapter 3 Season 2 Update
Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) participants can expect a different landscape this season. However, Epic Games reassured players that the game’s foundational building mechanics would remain intact. Tournament organizers plan to expand the qualification following last season’s abbreviated competitive run.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the complete list of details regarding FNCS Chapter 3 Season 2. Epic’s competitive update serves as an appetizer ahead of the promising season ahead.
Stay tuned to ESTNN for more Fortnite news and updates!