Now that Fortnite Season 8 has officially launched, it seems like the perfect time to round up all eight seasons and pit them against each other. While each season did its best to inject something fresh into the battle royale staple, not every iteration succeeded. Whether you enjoyed the naïve simplicity of Season 1 or preferred the huge hype trains of Seasons 3 and 4, each season had something new and exciting to try out.
Here’s my list of every Fortnite season ranked from worst to best.
8. Fortnite Season 7
Season 7 was more than a little rough around the edges. Epic definitely went all out though, adding a brand-new snow biome, ziplines, planes, and the dreaded Infinity Blade. The game was left completely neutered for the majority of the season though, with most players preferring to take to the skies to avoid gunfire rather than partake in any actual combat.
For the short time it was in the game, the Infinity Blade also gave one player a ridiculously huge advantage that ruined the game for everyone else in the match. If I could describe Season 7 in one word, it would be “broken”.
7. Fortnite Season 6
While Season 6 never broke the game quite like Season 7, it also just wasn’t that much fun.
Shadow Stones turned the user virtually invisible, and the addition of zombies were more of an annoyance than anything. A lot of fans would prefer to just forget about Season 6 entirely.
6. Fortnite Season 8
Season 8 has only been out for about a week, but it’s already made some pretty huge improvements over the last two seasons. For one, the map feels fresh thanks to the massive volcano on the island’s north-eastern side, and Sunny Steps is a location that’s actually worth looting.
This season also has a pretty nice set of skins, with Luxe looking particularly flashy in her pair of sparkling MC Hammer pants.
Season 8 hasn’t really had all that much time to grow though, so take this placement with a grain of salt.
5. Fortnite Season 5
While definitely not the worst out of the eight seasons, Season 5 felt the most unimaginative.
The only noteworthy addition to the map was the new desert biome in the south-east, where players were free to loot Paradise Palms and the unmarked village. However, rifts were definitely a welcome addition, making traversal across long distance a breeze.
Disappointingly, Season 5’s skins were some of the game’s weakest. Everything looked bland and there wasn’t a single skin that rivaled the Black Knight or Omega.
4. Season 1
Season 1 was a simpler time. Nobody really knew how to build, and small walls and 1 by 1’s dominated the battlefield. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Season 1 building the megastructures that are now commonplace in virtually every match today. While the game undoubtedly had a special kind of charm, it really lacked any of the polish found in Seasons 2 and up.
Guns were limited, games were slow, and the map was sparsely populated. Still, it was the season that started it all.
3. Season 4
Season 4 saw Epic experimenting in some new and interesting ways. There were a plethora of new additions, for better and for worse. The Drum Gun was added, letting players melt structures and enemies alike from close range, and the double pump strategy dominated the meta. Although definitely annoying, the Jetpack was a fun addition for the short time it was in the game.
It was here that the game’s skill gap really started to widen though, with players racking up thousands of wins after watching Fortnite kings like Ninja and TSM_Myth.
What really makes Season 4 stand out was its famed rocket launch. Epic really outdid themselves with this event, making it one of the most noteworthy Fortnite experiences in the game’s lifespan, along with the meteor and Marshmello’s concert.
2. Season 3
Season 3 represented Fortnite at its peak of popularity. The game was breaking records and streamers like Ninja and Tfue were blowing up, giving players access to the latest building strategies and weapon tiers.
While locations like Tilted Towers and Shifty Shafts were added during the tail end of Season 2, it was here when people really began familiarizing themselves with the locations. Players began flocking towards Tilted, creating the biggest combat hotspot the game has ever seen.
Combat also started feeling a lot more build-based than it had in the previous two seasons. While it wasn’t anything like what you see today, players were starting to be able to throw up well made bases quickly, giving Fortnite a distinct edge over rivals like PUBG.
You can’t discredit the Dark Voyager or John Wick skins either.
1. Season 2
To this day, Fortnite Season 2 holds a special place in a lot of players’ hearts. This was when the game first really started picking up steam, and players were just beginning to familiarize themselves with the classic battle royale mechanics. Gameplay mainly consisted of accurate gunplay accentuated nicely with occasional and strategic building. Instead of players spamming their builds, players knew when to hunker down and participate in some good old shootouts.
What’s more was that winning felt like an accomplishment. Instead of players racking up thousands of wins, everybody had modest stats, and games felt evenly matched. Wins felt like actual achievements rather than random flukes, and no one had that one friend that made the rest of your squad look like total chumps.
You can’t forget the “OG” map either. It was a time where Greasy Grove, Pleasant Park and Retail Row were the three main drop points, and the map actually felt well structured. As Epic kept pushing out more seasons, the map started to feel more and more like a random spattering of ideas rather than a cohesive and well-designed battleground.
Do you agree with our list? Feel free to take to the comments to talk about which seasons were your favorites.
MORE FORTNITE SEASON 8:
– Fortnite Season 8 Week 1 Loading Screen Battle Star Revealed
– Fortnite “Borrows” Apex Legends’ Pinging System
– Fortnite Season 8 Map Removes Tomato Temple & Wailing Woods, Still No Greasy Grove
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