Fortnite’s new mode, Reload, has been a hit with players since it was released last week. It’s been such a hit, in fact, that the regular Battle Royale modes have taken a hit, too.
According to Fortnite data miner HYPEX, the release of Fortnite Reload has made the regular Battle Royale and Zero Build modes drop to their lowest concurrent player count since those numbers became public and live in-game last March.
Fortnite Reload features a new, small map, and a player count of just 40 per match. In the respawn-enabled mode, players get a reboot timer once they’re eliminated. It begins at 30 seconds and can go up to as high as 40.
While the timer is active, their teammates must stay alive to keep the team in the game, and they can lower the timer by getting downs, kills, and squad wipes. If it sounds familiar, it’s because Call of Duty: Warzone’s Resurgence mode is nearly identical.
The mode includes an exclusive quest and rewards, but the real draw for players seems to be the nonstop action involved. In regular BR, when eliminated, you must wait for a teammate to take your reboot card to a reboot van. Now, the action continues regardless.
At time of writing, both Reload modes have over 450,000 players while the BR modes have a little under 350,000. This may be due to Reload being new, but the player counts for these modes will be something to keep an eye on in the future.
Reload’s map also includes Tilted Towers and other popular points of interest from past Fortnite maps, so it’s no surprise that players have found a fun time in the new mode.
Fortnite’s next new season begins in August.
