Fortnite is arriving on PS5 this November. The debut season, Chapter 2 Season 5, is likely to kick things off for the new generation; although we may jump in just-in-time for the season 4 finale.
During the Summer Games Fest, Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite will be coming to the next generation of consoles.
The PS5 and the Xbox Series X consoles will battle it out for console supremacy with both consoles boasting several new and innovative features.
As for Fortnite on the PS5, we take a look at when the game will appear on the new console, how good the graphics are going to be and everything we know so far about the popular battle royale arriving on the next generation of PlayStation.
Release Date
Fortnite will be available on PS5 on the 12th November in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, with the rest of the world getting the console on November 19.
This is when the console will publicly be available. But it could arrive on these platforms sooner for those that are reviewing/testing the console before its official launch.
Graphics and FPS
The new graphical capabilities of the PS5 enables games to run at a much higher frame rate than its predecessor.
With the ability to run software at 4K and 120 frames per second (FPS) Fortnite on the PS5 is likely to be one of the smoothest games thanks to the new specifications of the console.
Split Screen now also supports 60 FPS on all next-gen platforms.
Epic has confirmed that Fortnite will release using Unreal Engine 4 – its current engine – before moving over to Unreal Engine 5 in the middle of 2021.
Ray Tracing has been confirmed for Fortnite on PC and with the capabilities being available for next-generation titles, we will likely see this transition to the PS5.
Experience a more dynamic and interactive world with grass and trees responding to explosions, enhanced fluid simulations for smoke and liquid (cooler-looking smoke and liquid effects), and all-new Storm and cloud effects.
These ray-tracing features can be broken down into four categories:
- Reflections: these make shiny surfaces such as glass, windows and other things reflect their surroundings more accurately rather than be filled with pre-baked images
- Ambient Occlusion: this fills in objects with subtle and realistic shadows where their surfaces meet
- Global Illumination: this will allow light to play more realistically across the environment even as it changes
- Shadows: simply put, the shadows will look better
PS5 Features
The game will also support PS5’s Activities feature, which allows players to jump straight into lobbies from the console’s home screen.
More information on this will likely divulge itself once the console launches.
Loading performance has been “significantly upgraded” on all next-gen platforms, improving texture loading and enabling players to get into games more quickly.
The PS5 version has DualSense vibration support and haptic trigger feedback for ranged weapons too.
Haptic feedback makes it feel like you’re holding the Suppressed SMG or Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle.
New Features
Sony has posted a blog post noting some of the new features the PS5 is going to implement when you are playing Fortnite.
Check it out here, or below are some key points:
For our initial use of DualSense, we’re supporting adaptive trigger feedback for ranged weapons, making it feel like your old favorites such as the Pistol, Suppressed SMG, and Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle are actually in your hands. How specifically, though? Let’s get a handle on it!
Fortnite will support two kinds of adaptive trigger feedback for ranged weapons: trigger pull feedback and sustained feedback. Weapons that fire once per trigger pull — your Pistols, SMGs, Snipers, Assault Rifles, etc. — will use trigger pull feedback, meaning you’ll feel the authentic resistance of pulling their triggers as you push down the trigger of the DualSense.
Weapons that require you to hold down the trigger button — like the Boom Bow and the Minigun — will make use of sustained feedback. Even as you’re holding the DualSense trigger all the way down, you’ll still feel an authentic sensation of resistance, reminiscent of what it feels like to draw back a bow or keep a Minigun firing.
Trailer
Check out the trailer below:
Price
Fortnite battle royale has always been sold as a free to play title and this is expected to continue as the game transitions over to the next generation of consoles.
As for Save the World, it is likely that it will be sold at around £15.99, the same price as it is being sold on PS4 and PC.
So far, there are no Fortnite bundles being sold with the PS5.
Crossplay
Cross-play will still be available on all platforms and will now include the PS5.
Progression and cosmetics carry over to the next-gen versions as you will still continue to use your Epic account.
Skins
There are no confirmed special in-game rewards, upgrades or skins for playing the game on the PS5 at this time.
With the recent v14.50 update, a new skin was added called 'Cloud Striker' as well as a new 'Elevation' backbling.
The new back bling sports the PS controller buttons on the side.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Sony team up with Epic Games to release a skin or some sort of reward for downloading it on the new console.