Over 5 million people worldwide flooded Fortnite’s servers on Nov. 3 as they eagerly awaited the most anticipated update in Fortnite history: the return of the original map. 

Five years ago, Fortnite had a booming fanbase and was easily one of the most-played video games in the world. Each week, the game makers produced new updates that excited the players and kept the game fresh. That time,  now considered the “golden era” of Fortnite, was the most popular streamed and played game for almost an entire year. However, as 2018 came to a close, the updates and map changes got too many, “out of hand,” and too different from the original gameplay, so players chose newer games instead. The loss of interest in Fortnite was solidified when the game released its Season 11 update, also known as Chapter 2, Season 1. From that update on, the game died off as players were not a fan of the entirely new map, guns, and graphics. Fortnite’s fan base had almost completely broken off by 2022, and the game faded into the background of many original players’ lives. 

However, as late 2023 came around, rumors began to surface of the old map from 2018 returning, and the hype around Fortnite built up once again. By November, social media flooded with old Fortnite content as former players loaded up their untouched accounts, anticipating the update. Their expectations were met as Nov. 3 marked not only the beginning of Chapter 4, Season 5, but a return to the beloved map from 2018. This step back in time resulted in people around the world logging onto Fortnite for the first time in years to play with their friends, just like old times. 

Senior Trevor McLaughlin remarked on his experience playing Fortnite again five years later, believing, “It was by far the most fun I’ve had playing a video game in ages. Usually, I don’t spend any time on my Xbox during the school year, but I just had to play again since they brought the old map back. It felt just like back in 7th grade when I would go home and play Fortnite with my friends.”

Like McLaughlin, many kids, teenagers, and young adults decided to play Fortnite again that day on Nov. 3, and it reminded them just how much fun the game could be. With weekly updates going forward, hopefully, Fortnite can hold onto this spark of fandom and harness it as they move on. However, they may have just captured lightning in a bottle with the biggest update in their seven-year history.