Okay, so what comes into mind when you think about Battle Royale games? If your answer isn’t Fortnite or PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG), do feel free to come out of the well anytime now.
With these two titles gaining traction faster than the speed of a gamer’s keyboard flying across the room when he ends up in the second spot in any of these games, it is no wonder Battle Royale games are making a major market breakthrough for gamers, streamers, and spectators alike.
For those of you who are not too familiar with what Battle Royale games are, it is a type of survival game genre where the main aim is to be the last man standing by eliminating other competitors (Think Hunger Games, but in this case, everybody pays money to be a tribute, and spends the next few hours re-volunteering to do it all over again). The concept includes elements of your typical survival game such as exploring an open world, scavenging for items and weapons which are randomly located around the map as well as interacting and competing with other players – and then, killing and looting the hell out of them.
Because of its random nature, a Battle Royale game mostly lacks a fixed story line or a specific route which players must take, such as in your single-player games. There is no precise destination to go or even any time limit as to how long you can play.
Battle Royale Games have been gaining more attention recently so we thought we listed down some of the reasons they’re so popular – before the hype dies down. Here are some major reasons as to why Battle Royale games are such a big hit – and maybe why you should hop on the bandwagon:
- Free And Easy
Did you know Fortnite’s free now? You can start playing it right now without paying. But hey, we’re not talking about these games being free in the literal sense (because no, not all of them are and let’s not get started on microtransactions. Game devs gotta eat too y’know).
You get total freedom when playing these games! As mentioned, Battle Royale games are simple to play and easy to understand. No time limit, no storyline, just survive. Players are free to roam in an “open world” concept and choose what items to pick up, places to explore and of course, who to kill.
- Mega Ego Boost
“WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!” – and with that, those words can change your entire mood or even make your entire day better!
To be the last player standing would mean you have to be better than everyone else – you had to be the best. Playing Battle Royale games can really make one more motivated and determined in improving their skills and winning more matches.
And the thrill of winning a match can be addictive and a real ego and confidence booster! Winning a game is probably just as fulfilling as being the only one asking the girl out.
(From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV_XYcZp5ak)
- It’s Like The Real World, Just That We’re All In A Game
“Greetings, fellow traveller…” No! You’re not playing with RPGs or AIs – you’re playing with real-life people so expect a lot of swearing and finding out who slept with whose mother.
And when you play with other humans, interactions during the games feel more realistic and every match and encounter is unique in nature, thus, surprising all the time, even though its essentially the same game! You’ll never get bored, especially since your starting point during a Battle Royale game tends to be random and hence, you can end up in a new area every time and meeting new players (and dying different ways, like me.).
Accurate representation of me in a PUBG game
- It’s the Age of Streaming
Remember that monumental game Fortnite’s biggest player, Ninja, had with the rap artist, Drake? You probably caught it on Twitch, right?
And if you don’t know what Twitch is, you’re missing out because forget your usual viral videos posted online, we’re entering a new age of live entertainment – streaming.
Most Battle Royale games give us the opportunity to broadcast our games live to everyone else through streaming, which also allows us to watch games played by others, including our favourite celebrity gamers. And of course, who doesn’t want attention? Joining the ranks of other self-absorbed social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, streaming lets us showcase and share our gaming experience with others and eventually, encouraging them to join the fun. Also, if we happen to be playing a good game or our skills are just impressive and worthy of everyone else’s attention, we might just stand a chance to be recognised and gain popularity over time (but of course, not everyone will. Somehow people started leaving my stream after realising I’ll never survive past the first circle)
- Anything Funny Is Worth Mentioning
And because you can stream, it means you can capture your most hilarious moments! Let’s face it – another major reason why Battle Royale games get popular is because of all the funny situations you can end up in!
Being shot in the head by some unknown sniper? Getting into unnecessary fights? Pulling out the wrong weapon? Wasting your building materials (in Fortnite, that is)?
And yeah, all those things would definitely NOT sound as funny in the real world. But they are in the game. And there’s nothing like sharing your “epic fails” with others or laughing at someone else’s!
(from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVylK9ewqhQ)
So yeah, those are all the reasons. Well, of course, not all – I’m sure there’s plenty more. But these are what we think are the main aspects of Battle Royale games that make them so addictive and enjoyable to play. But will the fad eventually die down?
Maybe not anytime soon as according to IGN, there are currently more Battle Royale games in development and aimed to come out in 2018. So while more prominent games such as Fortnite and PUBG may start to get less popular over time, the whole genre might still be pertinent in the online gaming community. Looks like you could still join in the fun!
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