Soon-to-be PS5 players, Fortnite on PS4 has been an amazing ride. It’s surreal to think it was just over three years ago when we first introduced Fortnite to PS4 fans with the game’s Early Access launch. It’s been a humbling (and equally exciting) journey to share each Season, Battle Pass, and event with all of you!
As PlayStation kicks off its newest “Season” with the PS5, we’re grateful to continue creating new experiences in Fortnite. Just as you celebrate unboxing a new console at home, it’s been awesome for our team to begin unlocking the power and potential of the new console. We’d like to take this time to discuss what you can expect from Fortnite on PS5, taking a deeper dive into what we shared with you all earlier this week — including the specifics of how Fortnite will utilize the new DualSense controller!
A Dive into DualSense: A More Tactile Battle Royale
For our initial use of DualSense, we’re supporting adaptive trigger feedback for ranged weapons, making it feel like your old favorites such as the Pistol, Suppressed SMG, and Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle are actually in your hands. How specifically, though? Let’s get a handle on it!
Fortnite will support two kinds of adaptive trigger feedback for ranged weapons: trigger pull feedback and sustained feedback. Weapons that fire once per trigger pull — your Pistols, SMGs, Snipers, Assault Rifles, etc. — will use trigger pull feedback, meaning you’ll feel the authentic resistance of pulling their triggers as you push down the trigger of the DualSense.
Weapons that require you to hold down the trigger button — like the Boom Bow and the Minigun — will make use of sustained feedback. Even as you’re holding the DualSense trigger all the way down, you’ll still feel an authentic sensation of resistance, reminiscent of what it feels like to draw back a bow or keep a Minigun firing.
Fortnite and the Power of the PS5
As a reminder, Fortnite on PS5 isn’t just a tweaked PS4 build but a bespoke one that allows us to take full advantage of the new hardware’s power. Below is a quick summary of how we’re putting the PS5’s power to use to create an upgraded Fortnite experience:
- Working with the console’s custom RDNA 2 GPU, we’ve made the next-gen version of Fortnite output at 4K and up to 60 FPS in all game modes on PS5.
- The Zen 2 CPU + expanded memory let us use dynamic visuals and physics to bring even more life to the Fortnite Island. Grass and trees respond to explosions, visual effects for smoke and liquid are enhanced, and there are new effects for clouds and the Storm.
- Our work with PS5’s ultra-high speed SSD has let us dramatically upgrade loading performance, improving texture loading and letting you get into matches much faster.
- Split Screen can be played with higher performance: up to 60 FPS! This is due to our work with the improved CPU, GPU, and memory.
Enter the Future with a Memento of the Past
Entering a new generation of PlayStation is an exciting thing, but it’s also a good time to remember what came before. With that in mind, we’re offering all players the free Throwback Axe Pickaxe, the classic default Pickaxe from Fortnite Chapter 1!
This free Pickaxe is currently available in the Item Shop and PlayStation Store and will remain available through January 15, 2021. Whether you pick it up on your PS4 or PS5, the Pickaxe will stay with you in your Fortnite Locker.
Speaking of the Future…
As we continue releasing new game updates, we look forward to furthering our use of the DualSense controller and exploring new ways to maximize the potential of the console’s hardware. This is just the beginning of our plans on PS5!
