We’ve mentioned before that the map is one of the best parts of the Blackout battle royale. It’s great, but that doesn’t mean that all the locations spread out on the battlefield are good choices. Some of the spots are much more conducive to a strong start in the fight, and, if you pick right, you’ll come out with an advantage over the other players struggling to be the last ones standing. Several factors must be present to justify a suitable starting location: size, loot, and layout. It must be big enough to hold the right amount of loot to get your kit together, and you need to know how to navigate it flawlessly. Here are some of the best, and worst, starting locations.
10 Best – Hijacked
The yacht is a fantastic place to start your game. The volume of weapons and equipment there allow for solo and duos players to create a strong loadout for the first half of the game. Even a full squad of four teammates can leave Hijacked feeling relatively prepared for the next phase. Both the size and position of the yacht on the map also prevent it from being overwhelmed with players most of the time. Which means you’ll either have the place to yourself or there will be few adversaries to best. And the layout is straightforward, so once you’ve learned it, you can outmaneuver anyone that you need to kill in order to claim the yacht.
9 Worst – Array
Array is a nightmare. It doesn’t matter at what point in the game you arrive. The layout is what creates a tactical mess at the compound. None of the buildings connect to each other, which limits the amount of safe movement throughout the site.
The size is appropriate to scavenge a strong loadout, but it’s also big enough to attract a decent amount of competition in the beginning. It’s a dangerous choice and one that rarely pays dividends. Too spread out and too likely to hurt you rather than help you. Avoid dropping here unless you have no other choice.
8 Best – Right-Side Estate
The estates are always an appealing location, given the size of the complexes and their distance from other spots. If you’re able to secure it early, you have time to loot and develop a strategy. But the estate to the right is the better choice of the two. The left-side estate is a larger, sprawling site, and it attracts more attention. Which inevitably pits you against enemies in a firefight. The right-side estate, though, is still large enough to provide you with a kit, but it’s not as risky. Excellent for solo and duos play. And just enough to satisfy the early-game needs of a squad.
7 Worst – Firing Range
When Blackout first debuted, and characters needed to be unlocked, Firing Range was a death trap. A flood of players would descend on the location, and that volume of traffic has only somewhat decreased. It’s still a favored spot for many, and that’s why it’s one of the worst places to start. In a game that requires patience and endurance, a hectic rush to find a weapon is not desirable. Firing Range is too much chaos when you should be looking for control. It’s hard to easily navigate to defend yourself or your teammates. It doesn’t guarantee a smooth start like so many other places.
6 Best – Lighthouse
The isolated building is not ideal for a full squad, but if you’re playing solo or duos, then it’s hard to beat. The simplicity of the layout means it’s hard to be surprised by enemies. Audio cues from the inner metal structure, and the few doors or windows that exist help to narrow down where other players might be. And, if there aren’t any opponents with you, then the loot is enough to sustain you for the first phase of the game. There is little pressure from nearby locations, and it’s not a heavily trafficked part of the map.
5 Worst – Construction Site
This place is massive. It reaches the highest point on the map, and the base of the structure also stretches out a good distance. And its size is what detracts from the value of the spot. It’s too big to control. If you’re playing solos, then be prepared to have numerous opponents parachuting down onto the different levels of the site. If you’re playing duos or quads, then your team will find it difficult to stay together. The immense space houses enough rooms and levels that the safety of the squad is always in danger. Plenty of loot is scattered around the place, but it’s not worth it.
4 Best – South Turbine
The main section of Turbine can be a busy place. The three long storage buildings for the turbine parts are huge, and they’ve got enough gear to whet the appetites of most players. But south of the ravine is a slew of buildings rarely targeted early in the game. Players often roam through there if the circles push the map in that direction, but it’s an excellent location to begin your game as well. If your team moves as a unit, you can clean out the buildings at a good pace, and you’ll seldom encounter opposition. It’s an underrated spot.
3 Worst – Rivertown
The labyrinth of buildings is the source of many players’ deaths. The size isn’t a problem. The location is dispersed across a large space. There’s enough loot to go around. If you see a player heading for the same landing zone as you, it’s easy to divert to another clutch of buildings. The issue lies in its positioning on the map.
It’s close to too many spots, and it’s a thoroughfare for a lot of players when moving across the battlefield. The centric nature of Rivertown makes it treacherous. You might acquire a capable arsenal of weapons and equipment, but getting out of the town, or entering the next location, can easily get you killed.
2 Best – Nuketown Island
The island has two bridges connecting it to the mainland, and boats near the coast as additional points of egress. But the value of Nuketown is derived from its two levels. You have the above-ground ruins of the town, as well as the underground complex. If other players are destined for one, revise your course of action and go for the other one. The entire island is quite big, but the layout that you need to memorize in and under the town is manageable. And there’s plenty of loot. Magic boxes from zombies and loot crates located around the site also enhance the pool of weapons that you can scavenge.
1 Worst – Fracking Tower
The industrial site sits in a valley on the map. Steep hills or low rises on all sides. The disconnected buildings provide little cover when you are transitioning from one spot to the next. It’s not good for your health. The lack of cover means you can be targeted from the higher points in elevation, and the spaces between buildings mean you must waste time to finish looting the location. Time and safety are vital elements of the game’s opening, and Fracking Tower does not provide either of these. It’s an unnecessary risk that you should avoid.