Newsflash - Fortnite is somewhat of a big deal. Okay, that might be the understatement of the decade; according to NewZoo's March 2018 data, Epic Games' release is currently the third most popular PC game in the world. PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS and League of Legends are the only two titles stopping Fortnite from world domination!

The co-op sandbox survival game is an early access title that plans to turn free-to-play in the current year. Set in a colorful post-apocalyptic world, the story pits the player against the environment in a "save the world" scenario. The gameplay loop largely centers around building structures and forts to fend off waves of monsters.

This version of Fortnite has NOTHING to do with the title's success. Around two months after the main game entered early access, Epic Games debuted Fortnite Battle Royale, which is available for free. Following in PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS' footsteps, Fortnite Battle Royale throws 100 players into a massive free-for-all and tells them to go wild! It is hectic, creative, and a blast to play!

Also, it can be soul-crushingly difficult! While every player is destined to taste defeat, nobody enjoys losing, especially when victory was within their grasp. Taken directly from the mouth of winners, here are 25 awesome things players can do in Fortnite!

25 Set Your Sights As Low As Possible

Fortnite Battle Royale's map is relatively small, so the opening segments of a match tend to be defined by unbridled chaos! With a hundred players roaming around Epic Games' cartoonish landscape, those lucky enough to find decent loot will survive past the five-minute mark.

Forget the gorgeous view!

While it might seem tempting to land in an area that provides the high ground; when gliding at the start of a match, we recommend aiming for the lowest point possible. The glider will open later, meaning these participants are the first to touch land. Even if this tactic merely provides a brief head start, it could be the difference between finding a solid weapon or nothing at all. Those couple of seconds impact whether someone lasts two minutes or half-an-hour.

24 Underestimate Wood At Your Own Peril

Fortnite Battle Royale offers three tiers of resources: wood, stone, and metal. Gamepressure wrote a detailed breakdown of their uses, but we might as well go through the bullet points. While all three can be farmed around the map, wood is the most readily available and the least durable. At first, it might seem obvious to go for the stronger stuff, but that should really be left until the endgame. Wood spawns quicker than stone or metal and, surprisingly, launches with more health than its contemporaries. When caught in the middle of an ammo exchange, creating a metal wall would be the worst dumbest strategy to employ. For these quick encounters, wood is the only way to go. When the match starts to unwind and patience takes precedent, then start constructing strongholds using stone or metal.

23 The Art Of The Pickaxe

Stacked up against an impressive slew of weapons and gadgets, the pickaxe struggles to present a respectable case for itself. Once a half-way decent weapon is discovered and farming for resources has been completed, is there any reason to bring out this pedestrian item?

Yes, sort of!

In fights, the pickaxe should mostly be left by the wayside, but players should not completely forget about it. When approaching a ton of loot, equip the pickaxe to avoid accidentally trading one of your weapons. Using this method, everything will be picked up without any blunders. Simple and effective, just like a pickaxe!

22 Singing In The Rain

In comparison with PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS, Fortnite Battle Royale is a lot more cartoonish and over-the-top. If an act of insanity occurred in a Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes sketch, gamers should be able to recreate it in a match. In the animated world, fire hydrants exist to propel the protagonist or villain into the sky. By this point, these water holes are a stable of American cartoons. Fortnite is littered with hydrants, but they are easy enough to dismiss as environmental decorations. Alas, that would be a mistake, as hydrants are valuable tools capable of changing a losing situation into one of victory. Just blow their lid and you will fly sky high! If nothing else, the view is pretty impressive and hydrants are useful for a quick escape.

21 Everything Moves In Cycles, Including Supply Drops

To be the best, you have to be willing to take risks. A fantastic and obvious way for a player to get a bit of an advantage is to seek out supply drops, which are presented in cycles throughout a match. Contrary to typical loot boxes, these gifts from the sky tend to house a legendary item, providing a substantial boost in the owner's favor.

There is just one problem...

Once a crate drops, everyone and their grandmothers flock towards its area. Unless the box literally drops on someone's head, retrieving the goods is going to be beyond challenging. Even if that is part of the fun, supply drops work in cycles, so you can predict where the next one is set to land by following the pattern. It is like counting cards, just with Fortnite Battle Royale!

20 Wow, Did Not See That Coming...

Unless someone holds all the cards, avoid getting into unnecessary confrontations in Fortnite. Ideally, victory should be guaranteed prior to engaging the enemy. Speaking in terms of tactics, finding a hidden place to ambush an opponent should be given priority above anything else, including weapons. Try to keep the other gamer oblivious to your presence for as long as possible. The goal is to become one with nature, so resist the urge to rise above knee level at ALL TIMES. In nearly every situation, sound rather than sight is used to pinpoint someone's general area. While crouching, the combatant is practically muted. The opponent could max out the volume of their expensive headphones and they would still struggle to hear any sudden movements.

19 Riding The Storm

As a Fortnite match progresses, the map slowly shrinks in size. Depending on a player's luck and the game's algorithm, certain matches will be spent escaping the approaching storm. With the participant's safety constantly at risk, they could easily become overwhelmed by the tension and panic.

Take a breath, have a kit-kat. Calm down.

The storm chips away at the player's health but it is a relatively slow ordeal. There is no need to rush at the mere sight of the storm, especially since these moments tend to lead to the most eliminations. As people are desperately sprinting towards safety, other gamers are just waiting in the distance to deliver the final hit. A valid tactic involves using the storm as camouflage since most participants would not consider checking whether someone is tracking them from the danger zone.

18 Only Fools Rush In

Finally, it is time for some gaming! After a long day at school or work, you are beyond pumped to play Fortnite Battle Royale! The match starts and you glide right into the thick of the action. Awesome, time to have some fun! Half-a-minute later, Epic Games' title screen is staring you in the face. Okay, not the greatest of starts, but these things happen. Thankfully, a new match is only a click away and, this time around, things will be different. Before you can even utter your favorite action film catchphrase, the title screen is back.

How do you break this cycle? Well, the trick is to practice patience. At the end of the day, the only goal is to be the last person standing. If possible, go through an entire match without encountering another player. The only way to win a battle is to avoid taking part in it!

17 Every Person Is Out For Themselves (Not An Option!)

Especially if playing with friends, many might feel tempted to form an alliance with one of their peers. A deal that benefits both parties, as they work together to reach the tournament's final stages. After everyone else is eliminated, the two companions slowly turn to each other and draw their weapons.

Old friend, it was only a matter of time!

Oh, the mere thought is more than enough motivation to make us want to start a new match! Unfortunately, teaming up is NOT allowed and can lead to banishment. Epic Games wants to maintain an even competition, so anyone caught working together will face the developer's wrath! On the one hand, we get why they are taking this approach; on the flip side, alliances are commonly employed in films and literature dealing with battle royales. As a legitimate tactic, teaming up make sense.

16 There Is No Time Like The Present For Shield Potions

Identifying the best time to down a potion is a useful skill. At full power, the shield doubles the combatant's health and provides a morale boost. After gliding into a particular area and stumbling onto a shield potion, the temptation might arise to leave the item for a rainy day. At that point, the player's health is full, so there is no need to waste the shield. While this tactic might sound good on paper, more often than not, it does not pan out. Shields last for the duration of the match and the vast majority of eliminations occur during the first couple of minutes. Rather than wait for a moment that might never come, power up the shield to improve the odds of a longer play session.

15 The Spoils Of War (Are Rarely Worth The Effort)

Loot crates and supply drops are the two most common means to unlock new gear. They both came with their own risks, but victory demands that one steps out of their comfort zone. Another method for a player to improve their inventory is to loot the bodies of fallen warriors. In lucky situations, this could lead to a huge boost in resources and armor.

There is no such thing as luck.

That is what they want you to think! Firefights attract an array of combatants, so approaching loot is dangerous. Any nearby gamer would know exactly where to search to locate a target. Due to Fortnite's color-coded rarities, it is possible to tell whether there is anything valuable from a distance. If an orange or gold item drops, it is safe to assume that many will try to get their hands on it.

14 Those Who Build, Survive!

Admittedly, PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS and Fortnite Battle Royale share a couple of similarities, but their core gameplay could not be further apart. Approaching a match in the latter with the same mentality as the former can only result in defeat. The base, and currently costly, version of Fortnite is like a mix of Minecraft, Sunset Overdrive, and many tower defense titles. The building mechanic is vital to survival and translates to Epic Games' battle royale mode. At every possible moment, you should be in the middle of a construction job. Putting aside the impressive towers and castles created by certain players, a simple defensive wall is enough to turn the tide of battle. Fortnite's building element is not a side activity or a waste of time and should be treated as a vital part of the gameplay experience.

13 Falling Down A Mountain Does Not Need To Be Painful

Fortnite Battle Royale tries to avoid harshly punishing players for environmental mishaps. Nobody wants to get eliminated because they slipped off the roof of a two-story building, so damage tends to be rather minimal. In spite of Epic Games' decision to go easy on participants, there are certain acts that push things too far.

Tumbling down a cliff should leave a scratch or two...

Health is precious in Fortnite, so it is best to avoid wasting any on frivolous acts. If you find yourself stuck at the peak of the game's version of Everest and in desperate need to get down, counter strafe while sliding down the mountain to avoid losing health! It might not help too much in real life, but Fortnite laughs in the face of physics.

12 Weapons Are Only One Tool In Fortnite's Arsenal

With many available weapons at different rarities, it could be tempting to ignore everything else in the game. Finding a powerful rocket launcher should tip the odds in your favor. There are precious few things that measure up to the excitement of finding a legendary weapon. Discovering a loot crate delivers the same thrills as opening presents on Christmas morning. While we cannot argue against a solid armory, the best players know how to use the environment to their advantage. Epic Games crafted a terrain that rewards interactivity. Building a fortress is just as crucial as stocking up on armor and nearly everything found in Fortnite has its use. There is a random tire laying in the middle of the street? Use it as a launch pad. Your fortress needs to be strengthened? Dismantle a door.

11 Break Free From Fortnite's Shackles

Nobody understands their gaming habits better than themselves. While most developers try to stick to a popular control scheme, their decisions are rarely universally appreciated. Like most things, gamers prefer to play in a way that feels comfortable to them. Console players might have to accept Epic Games' rules, but the PC community can take matters into their own hands.

No, we are not referring to mods.

When itching to launch a game, we regularly ignore the options menu. On PC, Fortnite Battle Royale allows gamers to rebind the keys to suit their needs. Even if the default control scheme seems fine, players should still examine these options to see if anything can be improved upon. Why complicate matters when there is an easy fix?

10 Without Ammo, A Rocket Launcher Is Just An Expensive Club

The battle royale genre stakes its reputation on forging a tense and unpredictable atmosphere on a regular basis. From the very first second, competitors are in a heightened state of awareness. Whether building a fortress or attempting to spot any unnatural sounds, a single distraction could instantaneously result in a game over. Due to the high stakes, we prioritize our end goal and place everything else on the back burner. Surprisingly, this mentality extends to ammo crates, which are often ignored in lieu of loot drops. To be fair, the latter is a lot more exciting to open, but a legendary item is worthless without the necessary fuel. Ammo crates are there for a reason, otherwise, the items would just be on a timer or possess infinite rounds.

9 Fortnite Is Not Doom

Generally, there are two ways to approach a multiplayer shooter - either constantly move to avoid getting hit, or stick as low to the ground as feasibly possible. Bethesda Softworks' Doom punishes static players, but the same cannot be said for Fortnite.

Crawl to victory!

In certain situations, strafing can be useful, but they hardly ever occur in the middle of a firefight. Rather than providing a moving target for the opponent, crouch down and avoid making any unnecessary movement. Usually, the participant with the element of surprise is the one left standing after the smoke clears. While throwing caution to the wind and storming the enemy's stronghold can be a ton of fun, Fortnite Battle Royale rarely rewards such behavior.

8 Inventory Management Is Vital

Congratulations! The match skipped the 30-minute mark and you are still standing! Now, the real competition gets underway. With only a handful of participants left, any mistake will lead to catastrophe. Due to Fortnite's building mechanics, the third-person game rewards players who try to be creative; on the other hand, intelligent play tends to result in victory. By this point, most of the players would be down to their last sliver of health, so the first to attack is the one who lives to fight another day. Inventory management becomes crucial, as you do not want to accidentally pull out a pickaxe instead of a grenade launcher! Weapon selection needs to be intuitive, so players should always organize their items in a specific pattern, so they will know what to press in the heat of the moment.

7 The Fortnite Truce (And Terrifying Alternatives)

Bored of barely surviving a massive battle royale to determine the king of gamers? Well, Epic Games has your back! While most resources went to developing the terrain and items, the developer threw in a couple of surprises for those willing to search for them. Players yearning for a change of pace can enjoy a quick game of soccer.

Or, to be accurate, FOOTBALL.

Epic Games incorporated a small five-a-side pitch and a ball, allowing participants to break up the monotony with a little match. If someone is not into sports, there are multiple television screens spread throughout Fortnite's large map that provide a unique cinematic experience. If located inside a house, they screen a short movie similar to The Ring. Honestly, a large scale battle for survival seems more family-friendly than this horror flick.

6 Headphones Are A Must

Fortnite Battle Royale is free, but it might be worth using that cash to purchase a decent pair of headphones. As previously mentioned, sound tends to betray players more than sight. Anyone who has been around the block knows how to avoid being seen until the last couple of seconds prior to instigating a fight, but mistakes can still be made. Once a decent lookout point has been cleared out and owned, crouch to the floor and maintain the position. Limit any personal noise and focus on hearing anything out of the ordinary. Unless taking extra precautions, any movement will result in enough noise to pinpoint an approaching enemy's general area. A good pair of headphones can make a world of difference, as they turn their owner into a warrior with super hearing!