Just like that, we’ve traveled back in time. Specifically, to 2018. Childhood dreams are vibrant and worries are distant. Fortnite was quite literally life. The music, the vibes, the frustration—all packed into one game we played with friends. However, the game quickly lost our interest as we moved on with our lives. As a result, not only was the game gone, but also our childhoods.
Luckily, Fortnite has given us one more month to relive this fantastical reality. With the introduction of Chapter 4, Fortnite has announced “Fortnite OG,” allowing us to hop back into 2018 as if we never left.
Season OG is exactly what it sounds like—a season of Fortnite which combines the many seasons that made up Fortnite when it was first released and at its peak in popularity. This includes seasons from Chapter 1 Season 5 through Season X.
With this new yet old season comes old guns, old locations, old items, the original map, original seasonal content, and more. Fortnite OG has given Epic the highest player count their game has ever seen, with 44.7 million players getting online the Saturday after the season was first introduced. The reintroduction of these features is so important among many that played in Chapter 1 because of the memories that resurge from so many years ago. It really does feel like we have been launched into the past and given the chance to relive a nostalgic part of our childhoods.
Sophomore Eliav Sehati came back to Fortnite after a long break for this particular reason. “I started playing in Chapter 1 Season 3 but soon left around Chapter 3,” he said. “I decided to come back this season because I thought it would be really fun to experience some of the most fun I’ve ever had with my friends.”
Fortnite split this season up into several different weeks of different OG seasons, making Season OG the shortest ever Fortnite season. It started on Nov. 3 with Season 5. This marked the return of iconic locations on the map such as Tilted Towers, Greasy Grove, and Risky Reels. Some guns introduced were the Assault Rifle, Pump Shotgun, and Hunting Rifle as well. Items like the Damage Trap, Grappler, and Boogie Bombs were back with Shopping Carts and Golf Carts for transportation across the island. This was the major update of Season OG, as it set the stage for the rest of the season regarding locations, guns, and items, and these remained the same for the majority of the season.
Fortnite not only appealed to players in the past, but also new players.
Sophomore Violet Kim said, “I never really played Fortnite but all my friends started to get on so I also decided to.” She continued, “Even though I didn’t even play in Chapter 1 I had a lot of fun with my friends.”
On Nov. 9, darkness rises in loot lake, meaning one thing: Season 6 is back. One change many players liked was the Driftboard which was added this season. Originally, it was not introduced until Season 7, but players had the chance to play with it in Fortnite OG during the season 6 update. The Driftboard, or Hoverboard to many, is so fun because of the wide variety of tricks it allows players to do and fast speeds across the map.
“In Season 6 I loved the Hoverboard because I could do nasty trick shots with snipers on them,” said sophomore David Makhany. “I really like how Fortnite decided to add it back in the games and I’ve been enjoying this season a lot.”
One week later, and we are in Seasons 7 and 8, changing the map to its historic three-color scheme. A new section featuring a snow biome was added and Frosty Flights appeared in the corner of the map. Buried Treasure was added to the game, something some players believe is too overpowered for its legendary loot.
Finally, from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2, Seasons 9 and X were added. The biggest change in these seasons was the meteor held in the sky. The sign of danger was a warning to all that something bad was going to happen—and fast.
After we said our goodbyes and enjoyed our fun while it lasted, the season swiftly ended. However, Fortnite has announced in a recent tweet that they will be sure to bring Fortnite OG back once more in 2024. This statement alone has made many Fortnite players in the past satisfied and hopefully Fortnite will continue to bring back Fortnite OG every once in a while for players to relive some part of their childhoods.
