Friday Fortnite: The People’s Tournament

With the Fortnite World Cup Qualifiers ending this past week, everyone’s eyes have shifted to the World Cup Finals in New York. Set for July 26, the already sold-out tournament’s $30 million prize pool has those that qualified foaming at the mouth. However, in the meantime, a far more exciting tournament has reappeared on the summer scene.

Created last summer by YouTuber Daniel “KEEMSTAR” Keem, Friday Fortnite provides the best source of summer entertainment that any Fortnite fan could ask for. Where the majority of competitive Fortnite play can be an uninteresting combination of early-game strategizing and sheer luck or ‘RNG’ (random number generator), Friday Fortnite is a downhill race from the word “go”.

How it Works

Image Courtesy of Epic Games, FaZe Clan, KEEMSTAR

Though the rules are far more in-depth, the main objective is simple: most kills wins. Seeded in a tournament bracket, the best players in the world partner up and go head-to-head with another duo. Round by round the duos join to form a squad and each pair mutes the other team. Then, as a collective, they join a typical, casual, unsuspecting lobby of everyday players. What ensues is nothing but deception, betrayal, havoc and a whole lot of ‘W-keying.’

You’re not going to find players bunkered up for the long haul. Instead, Friday Fortnite offers Fortnite icons, like Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff to play the style of game that they became famous for: Recklessly hunting down opposing players without mercy.

Having Fun Again

With the game in constant transition, fans and players have had a tendency to become frustrated with the gameplay. However, despite being in its ninth iteration, Friday Fortnite has found a way to make Fortnite simple again.

What’s more, because of the setup, there are greater opportunities for upsets. One wrong move and any top-tier player could be eliminated. Fan favorite, Tim “Timthetatman” Betar and his partner, Richard “KingRichard” Nelson, hadn’t played together in months. They were expected to be an early-exit, but instead the pair got past not one, but two rounds. European prodigies, Martin “MrSavage” Foss Anderson and Benjy “benjyfish” Fish, eventually eliminated them and would go on to win the $10,000 prize money. Regardless, the journey was definitely well worth the trip for this unlikely duo and their fan base.

Last summer, before KEEMSTAR got into a dispute with Epic Games, Friday Fortnite housed the most competitive weekly tournament. Week after week, players enthralled in competition were accidentally setting new squad kill records. It wasn’t uncommon for two teams battling to inadvertently kill over 50 players per match. With another year’s experience under everyone’s belt, here’s hoping that a similar outcome in on the horizon.

Playing in a tournament like the World Cup isn’t impossible, but it is unlikely for the everyday player. What’s fantastic about this model, is that the everyday player and their friends can replicate this format on their own at home. If fans feel they might be good enough for the actual event, fans have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament. 

What To Watch For

The big news this week is that Ninja will not be playing with his long-time competitive partner, Malachi “Reverse2k” Greiner. He will be with internet and YouTube powerhouse Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg. It will be interesting to see whether PewDiePie, not known for his Fortnite prowess, and Ninja’s partnership is effective or mere clickbait. Not having Reverse2k, who individually qualified for the World Cup, will more than likely impact Ninja’s podium placement for the worse.

The other thing to look for is appearance of Turner “Tfue” Tenney and Dennis “Cloakzy” Lepore. The duo holds the record for most Friday Fortnite victories, but have yet to make an appearance this summer. Part of the absence may be due to Tfue’s falling out with FaZe Clan, who just so happens to be sponsoring the tournament.

Regardless, if you are a fan of Fortnite, you should tune in this Friday, June 7, at 4:00 P.M. EST for more fast-paced performances.

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You can also follow Daniel on Twitter: @dcblanda and on Twitch.