Perhaps one of the most overlooked features in Fortnite is the map. Whether it’s the mini-map or the enlarged version that players can open and look at, a lot of players overlook a lot of the key features and information that the map has to offer. This article is going to go over the basics of using the map in Fortnite and how to properly use its features
In any competitive multiplayer game, one of the most important tools that is given to every player is the map. Despite the imperative nature of this tool, it is commonly the most misused tool as well. In Fortnite, understanding the map gives players a huge advantage over the competition. Knowing how to properly rotate, seeing where the circle is going, seeing the path of the battle bus - players know all these things can be found on the map, but many don’t fully understand how to read and act on the information the map gives you.
In this article, we are going to take a deeper look at the map in Fortnite and go over some of the important features and information the map has to offer so you can get the upper hand in your next match!
One of the first interactions you will have with the map in Fortnite is checking to see where the path of the Battle Bus is heading. Now, while you technically do not need to check the path of the bus before the game starts, it’s a good idea to do so for a couple of reasons.
First, you will immediately know which locations will have more players dropping there than others. The closer or more aligned with the path of the bus, the more likely there will be more players landing there. Either way, this helps you if you like early game action or if you want to avoid fighting early on and want to loot up first.
Another reason you want to study the bus’s path beforehand is to see which locations are hot spots. Hot spots are named locations on the map that have drones that carry extra, often very powerful, loot. You can tell which locations are hot spots because on the map their name is in gold text, as opposed to the usual white text. These locations will typically have more players, even if they are a bit further away. So, before you jump out of the bus and are waiting for that next game to start, take a quick look at the map and set yourself up for success. Study where the path is, what locations are close to where the bus is going, and which locations are hot spots in that particular match.
The next thing to understand when looking at the map are the Storm circles and how to rotate according to where the storm is going. The Storm is possibly the most decisive factor in how a game will play out, whether you realize it or not. Once the first circle appears on the map, the trajectory of the game is immediately affected, so it is important to constantly be checking the map and planning where your next rotation is going to have you end up. For example, let’s say you drop at Grand Glacier and the first circle stays on the eastern part of the map, not requiring you to move anywhere. Once you are done looting and fighting, if there are any other players, you are given two options: either stay put and wait until the next circle or rotate to the nearest location within the circle to get more kills.
Now which option you choose depends entirely on your playstyle and what your goal in the game is. Want more fights and kills? It’s probably best to rotate. Prefer less action and want to survive longer? It may be best to stay put in that general area and play a more passive-reactive game. However, let’s flip the hypothetical a bit. Let’s say the first Storm circle ended up on the completely opposite side of the map from you. You are only left with one option: Move to the next circle.
This is why understanding the map and reading the circle is important; there are a lot of underlying decisions you must make that you might not necessarily realize while you are making them. Rotating where you think will give you the best chance of winning the game according to where the storm is going is a decision you make every game whether you realize it or not. When you are more aware of the fact that you are making these decisions, you become more mindful of where the best place to go is regarding how the Storm is moving. So, next time you are in a game, check the map whenever there is a new Storm circle, and think about your decision-making process.
This last tip is more often going to pop up when you are playing with others, but it is still important if you want to succeed and communicate effectively with your teammates. Utilizing the ping feature is extremely important for informing your teammates on where you want to go, where enemies are, and where good loot is. Pretty much anything you need to physically show your teammates can be done with placing a ping down on the desired location. There is far less room for error when you tell your teammates to check the marked location instead of describing it to them in a high-pressure situation. So, make sure you ping the map as much as possible!
While it might seem like a very simple and intuitive part of the game, many players overlook utilizing the map in-game. Making sure you are mindful of all the features and information you have access to in a match, just from the map, is the first step in utilizing it properly. Hopefully this article has given you the information to become a master of dropping, rotating, and pinging all with the map in Fortnite!
