How to Play Fortnite, Beginners Guide and Tips 2025
Fortnite is an astronomically popular battle royale game that everyone knows about, whether you are a gamer or not – the game is a global sensation. The game offers unique, colorful skins, exciting characters, and viral dance moves that are as eye-catching as they are for all ages. The core idea of this multiplayer game is to survive till the end. Players are dropped off on an island where they will fight against each other and win as the last man standing. To make this happen, you will need expert advice for the challenges ahead in Fortnite. The game offers a multitude of mechanics, which can become overwhelming when learning about combat gameplay, survival techniques, and building mechanics. So, where do we start? How do you get good at every aspect of the game? If it seems all too daunting, then check out our Fortnite boost offerings.
In this guide, we have put together some of the most valuable tips for Fortnite beginners. By following these tips, you will be confident enough to start your survival quest on the island right from your first glide toward it.
What is Fortnite?
Fortnite is a pop culture-influenced cartoonish graphics multiplayer survival battle royale game. It is the most successful free-to-play game where your goal is to survive on the island and remain the last one standing to win the game. You are up against 99 other players who are all eager to win, so brace up and improve your own game first. Let's take you to your first simple steps in Fortnite.
Check Fortnite's System Requirements
Fortnite runs on several platforms and devices, like mobile, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, where you will need to meet the minimum requirements for the game to run. If you have a PC, the minimum requirements are a 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3-3225 CPU, an AMD Radeon Vega 8 GPU or an Intel HD 4000, and a system RAM of 8 GB. The recent graphic overhaul of the game requires further efforts from the CPU to run it smoothly. So, upgrade yourself to a 3.5 GHz. For graphics, consider using a combination of AMD Ryzen 3 3300U and Core i5 7300U. To enhance the graphics, opt for an NVIDIA GTX 960 and 16 GB of system RAM. If you have more to spend, consider upgrading to the Core i7-8700, paired with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070, which features 8GB of VRAM and 16GB of system RAM or more. Also, keep in mind that the game would take more than 41 GB of disk space.
For Android users, you need a 64-bit Android on an ARM 64 processor, Android OS 8.0 or higher, a minimum of 4GB of RAM, and a GPU Adreno 530 or higher.
For iOS devices, the game isn’t available anymore due to the ongoing lawsuit between Epic Games, Apple, and Google.
How to Play Fortnite for Absolute Beginners
We are heading towards the finale of Chapter 6: Season 4, which is themed around superheroes. The game has evolved since its inception, but its core mechanics have remained essentially unchanged. So, the tips here will help you begin your Fortnite journey and help you achieve your first Victory Royale. Keep in mind that you will have to grind several hours of gameplay to assess your skills first and then sharpen the saw using our tips.
You Can’t Take the Things You Pick Up on Spawn Island with You
Spawn Island is a waiting area, a playground where you wait for the lobby to complete all 100 players. The Spawn Island offers you all sorts of guns, ammo, and building materials for free. You can freely use these weapons against opponents, but they won’t cause any damage. Moreover, you can’t take these weapons with you to the Fortnite map. Therefore, it is better to practice sharpening your aim before the battle or try to build it within the given time.
Wait as Long as Possible to Drop from the Battle Bus
The Battle Bus (the flying bus) lets you drop off on the map after the honk, which many players usually do. However, a pro tip here is to delay your drop as long as possible. Forget about the hot spots of the map, and many players try to drop into the hotspots to take control of the map. Although it is a good strategy, the downside is that you will have to confront numerous opponents early on in the game. However, if you delay your fall and land in a far-flung area, you will encounter fewer to no enemies. This will give you less competition to loot and more time to survive on the island.
Your Glider Deploys Automatically
It may seem like novice information, but as a beginner, you need to know that there is no way to deploy your glider manually. The glider automatically opens at a certain height and closes by itself when the player reaches the ground or the nearest structure.
Drink Small Shield Potions Before Glugging a Large One
You will find blue bottles in both small and large sizes. These blue bottles are shield potions that give you a 25 or 50 percent shield, depending on the size. It is advisable to use more minor potions first, as it will help you clear out your inventory space. If you utilize a bigger portion of the blue bottle, the smaller one won’t be usable until you deplete your shield to less than 50.
Assault Rifles or SMGs are Good Beginner Weapons
SMGs are the way to go when you prefer medium or close-range combat; they also offer less recoil and more control. The same goes for assault rifles, as both these weapons are beginner-friendly. Try to avoid snipers, as it is only helpful in long-range engagement; anything below 75 meters will yield fewer chances of landing a shot. If you prefer to get up close and personal with your enemies, then grab a shotgun and go berserk.
Pay Attention to the Rarity Scale
Stay sharp and keep a keen eye on the loot and spoils, pick a rare item, and increase the damage of your weapon. Grey guns are the most common, with rarity levels starting from green, blue, purple, and gold. Gold guns are the rarest and most potent. Whenever you see a gold gun, open your inventory and swap it with any of your lower-scale weapons.
Play with Headphones on
Get yourself a decent pair of headphones, and always play Fortnite with them on. It is all about knowing the location of your enemies and being as discreet as possible to survive. Headphones will help you get an idea of your enemies by listening to their footsteps. You can also hear gunshots, crossfiring, and the direction of engagement of nearby enemies. This will help you decide whether to get ready for close-range combat or sneak behind a corner and find a hiding spot.
Build Cover Before you Heal
Healing and drinking shield potions take time, and you can only do one thing at a time: heal or fight. So, always try to heal yourself while taking cover. You can do that by building walls around you first and then proceeding to heal. Healing leaves you in a vulnerable state for almost 10 seconds, and your movement and other mechanics are restricted while doing so. So, better watch out if you want to be the last player standing.
There’s Fall Damage Above Three Storeys
Yes, as a matter of fact, in Fortnite, if you fall from a certain height, you will lose health. So, it is better to build ramps to descend or utilize a slide when coming downwards from a hill.
Always Try to Get the Upper Ground in a Fight
As the playable area shrinks and players start to engage more in a fight, it is always better to get to a vantage point and remain at a high place. You can do that by either finding a high ground, building ramps into the sky, or doing jumps. The jumping technique will also make you a more challenging target to hit. Let's discuss building, assuming you have zero build knowledge. If you decide to build ramps into the sky, it is always better to start by building walls around yourself in a square and then make a ramp to face your enemy. This also allows you to take a neat shot at your enemy using a sniper rifle. You can continue with this strategy of building a square wall around you and a floor beneath by jumping. Once you are in a tower situation, you are in an advantageous position. From here on, you need to get creative to win the game.
Keep Bandages, Med Kits, or Shield Potions in Your Inventory
Bandages, med kits, and shield potions will always come in handy when you are in a difficult situation. So, having these items in your inventory is a plus from the start of the match till the very end to maintain your life and power. You never know when you will need any one of these to get yourself up and running again.
Don’t Destroy Trees Completely
Deception is the name of the game in a battle, and you do not want to give any information about your whereabouts to your enemies. Trees are an essential source of building materials in a game, and players often chop down trees completely. This results in a trail that the enemy player uses to track and hunt the player. So instead of chopping down the trees altogether, use your pickaxe to chop wood until the trees reach 50% of health, then move to the other one. This way, you will hide your trail from enemies.
Make Sure You've Selected the Right Mode from the Lobby
Fortnite offers 6 different game modes, including Fortnite Festival, Save the World, Rocket Racing, and the most commonly played, classic battle royale. The game automatically brings you into a lobby filled with random players. You have a choice to play the game solo or go to the island with a duo or trio squad. Moreover, the game also features a rank system, allowing you to select an unranked match if you're having a bad run.
Crouching Minimises the Noise Your Feet Make
The more you keep the noise levels to a minimum, the higher the chance of you being sneaky throughout the match. It is better to remain discreet and not reveal your location when moving or running to survive longer in the game. You can reduce your movement noise to naught by crouching; this way, you can creep.
You Have to Buy the Battle Pass to Get the Majority of the Rewards
To fully enjoy the game, you will have to buy the Battle Pass, which is almost $10. Battle Pass will let you enjoy several perks that are not available otherwise. The Battle Pass costs 950 V-Bucks, which is $9.99. You can earn and adorn one of the best skins the game has to offer.
You Can Break (Almost) Anything with Your Pickaxe
If you find yourself stuck in a building or a construction of your own, don't worry, as you can break almost anything with your pickaxe. You need to get going and start smashing your way out of it. However, be cautious, as cracking or smashing will trigger the red dot circle on the map above, indicating that you are making noise. This noise will attract enemies, and you might find yourself in trouble.
Get Into the Habit of Harvesting Materials as You Run
The building component of a game is one of the decisive points for a player in coming out as a winner, besides, of course, superior aim. To build structures in Fortnite, you need materials, and to produce materials, you need to harvest them. The most common material is wood, which is readily available by harvesting trees and repurposing furniture. You need to find out which structure in the game provides you with the most materials and then harvest them to attain maximum resources.