There is no denying that over the past several weeks, Fortnite: Battle Royale has exploded in popularity. The cartoonish, free-to-play battle royale game has taken the gaming community by storm. Even the likes of Drake, Travis Scott, and JuJu Smith-Schuster are getting in on the action; over 628,000 people watched the famous trio play live with the ultra-popular Twitch streamer, Ninja.

While Fortnite's main objective may seem pretty straight-forward - outlive 99 other people – getting there isn’t as easy as you may have thought. While there is no foolproof way to win every match you play, there are a number of important basics that are always going to helpful.

From knowing where to land, to understanding weapon variety, and even building the perfect shelter, here are some of the absolute basic tips and tricks that you need to get started with Fortnite: Battle Royale.

Solo, duo, or squads? Either way, be prepared to lose: With millions of players worldwide – the last player count was estimated at 3.4 million concurrent players in early February – there is a very good chance that if you are just starting out, you are definitely going to lose a lot. Don’t be discouraged! While Fortnite seems easy to master, a lot of skill goes into actually winning. However, once you start practicing these simple steps, you will soon find yourself making it into the top 10, or even winning, regularly.

If you are just starting out, your best option is to play solo matches. This will allow you time to adjust to Fortnite’s playing style. Avoid playing in duo or squads unless you're with friends, as matches with random people can be nightmarish. A successful Fortnite team relies on good communication – something that a randomly generated team won't have.

Carefully select your landing spot: When to leap from the battle bus will be one of the most challenging decisions you will have to make in Fortnite, as your location can either make or break your chance at survival.

While there is no perfect place to land, there are a lot of places that you should avoid. Populated areas such as Tilted Towers, Retail Row, and Greasy Groves can often be the most dangerous and chaotic parts of the map early on. While these areas may often bring high rewards with plenty of available loot, it is more often than not safer to choose areas with a small cluster of buildings and lots of natural cover.

It is also important to remember that when landing, it is best to land on top of a roof as this is not only where most of the chests are located, but it is also easier to work your way down, rather than up.

Avoid the storm at all costs: Despite the dangers other players represent, the storm is your biggest threat. As soon as the doors to the battle bus open, you only have one minute to prepare for the incoming storm. After that, you will notice a white and blue circle appear on the map. The white circle indicates where you’ll be safe, while the blue circle indicates the wall of the storm – something that you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

Anyone caught caught in the storm will constantly take damage until they either die or enter the safe zone, so try to get to that area quickly. It’s important to remember that storm closes in faster, and does more damage, as the day progresses.

Gear up and loot as fast as possible: Once you’ve landed, you are going to want to find as much loot as possible within the shortest amount of time, as there are probably other players looting the same area at the same time.

The first key to your survival is to ensure that you find a weapon as soon as possible, as this will give you an advantage over other players.

Like most online competitive shooter, weapon choices are always going to change as the game evolves, as the developers continually alter statistics and add new weapons into the game. With that being said, you can’t go wrong with the trusty ol’ assault rifle, sniper rifle, shotgun, and rocket launcher.

Unlike PUBG, Fortnite weapons cannot attach any accessories. Instead, weapons have randomized stats - for example, a 'common' weapon will most likely not a scope, but a green, blue, purple, or gold rarity of the same weapon will not only have more accuracy, but will also deal much more damage.

Building is the key to success: Although Fortnite’s core gameplay may be similar to other battle royale games, it is its unique building mechanic that takes the game to the next level.

Before you can get into building, you are going to need to mine resources as you loot during the initial minutes of the game. This will ultimately save you from exposing yourself during the more intense moments of the match.

While there is the option to mine brick and metal, wood is the easiest resource to collect as you can quickly gain a small fortune by harvesting a few trees, scrubs, or fences with your pickaxe as you pass by.

Building comes most in handy when you are being attacked, as it is a great way to shield yourself from incoming bullets. You can build walls and stairs to get a better vantage point, as the higher you are the easier it is to take out opponents below you.

You’ll also want to ensure that you don’t get too carried away when building your structures, as they will not only paint a massive target on your back, but they can also be easily destroyed by other players.

Be wary of your surroundings: One thing you’ll come to realize is that unlike Call of Duty, camping is not a viable option in Fortnite. If you’re caught standing in one place for too long – scouting out locations or simply healing out in the open – you are definitely not going to last very long.

Due to the fast nature of Fortnite’s gameplay, you are going to want to move as much as possible, even if this means reloading on the go or even moving while you collect your loot. It is these small, yet subtle movements that could potentially save your life from those hunting you down unexpectedly.

Don’t get caught off guard, though. If you do need to heal or collect your loot, be sure to use trees, buildings, and vehicles for cover, or even build a quick structure that protects you from all angles. This method is risky, as constantly moving, building, and gathering resources is quite loud and can give up your position to nearby players. For this reason, only sprint – which leaves a trail of dust behind you – when needed, and avoid rushing into populated areas.

Think before you shoot: If you’re planning on surviving, one of the best pieces of advice is that you should never be too trigger happy, as not everyone you see needs to be shot at. Sometimes, it's best to just let them be on their way, and hope they are picked off by someone else.

Firing your weapon make a sound and leaves bullet traces through the air, attracting unnecessary attention – something that most beginners definitely do not need. Unless the other player has spotted you, or you know your shot will not miss, wait until the target is closer.

Remember: your first goal in Fortnite Battle Royale is to survive, not to rack up kills.