Fortnite vs PUBG - Which is better for You?
Fortnite and PUBG are two of the hottest games in the world. Both are battle royale titles in which 100 players duke it out on a big map until there's only one survivor still standing. But when it comes to PUBG vs Fortnite, which one should you play?
Gameplay
In terms of fundamentals, PUBG and Fortnite: Battle Royale are effectively the same. You'll parachute onto a map, loot buildings, escape the blue circle and attempt to outlast 99 other players.
The major difference between the two are their takes on the Battle Royale genre. PUBG focuses on realism, with weapon attachments, punishing recoil, bullet drop and a greater focus on inventory management.
Fortnite's a little more accessible in this regard, with a greater emphasis on frantic, fun combat over realism. The biggest difference is building. You can harvest materials you discover in the game world to create forts and defensive structures that'll help you survive encounters or gain the advantage.
PUBG's got vehicles, while Fortnite doesn't. If you're into cruising around maps with allies in the backseat, then PUBG's pipped Fortnite in this regard.
Finally, both offer a decent variety of game modes. PUBG's got weekly events and custom matches, while Fortnite's also got Limited-Time Game Modes that last for around a week.
Platforms and Price
Fortnite is currently available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Mac operating systems. We have introduced all the Fortnite controls. The game runs very well on all devices - even iOS - and offers crossplay between nearly every combination of devices besides the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. The game is even coming to Android sometime in the summer of 2018. The game is free-to-play across all platforms but does offer quite a few opportunities for in-game purchases. Generally speaking, character skins are more of a culture in Fortnite than they are in PUBG. That means you might want to grind for them or try to buy them.
PUBG is currently only available for PC, Xbox One, Android, and iOS. While it is possible to play the game on Mac computers, there is no official way to do so at this time. There's been no indication that the game will come to PlayStation 4 in the near future, either. At present, the preferred way to play PUBG is on PC. The game's Xbox One version suffers from technical issues, control problems, and a comparative lack of updates. While the title is playable on Android and iOS, neither version offers the full experience. PUBG is free-to-play on mobile devices but costs $29.99 on PC and Xbox One.
Graphics
PUBG and Fortnite are both battle royale games with similar mechanics, but when it comes to visuals they're very distinct. Which one you find is better, however, is largely down to personal preference.
While PUBG goes for a gritty militarism that feels more realistic, Fortnite is much more colorful and cartoonish – kind of in the vein of titles like Overwatch. It's really down to you which kind of world you prefer to play in.
Maps
Fortnite currently has one map, and Epic hasn't announced or hinted at any more to come. What's there is tiny by battle royale standards, around a quarter the size of PUBG's smallest 4x4 kilometer map. It's hilly and green, dotted with areas designed for different styles of play. Tilted Towers is a couple city blocks featuring tall buildings and flat, open streets between them. Wailing Woods is a dense forest with a hedge maze at its center. Pleasant Park is a suburban neighborhood bordering a soccer field. With nearly 20 named locations and dozens of smaller landmarks between them, Fortnite's map is dense, but diverse.
PUBG has several different maps to play on. The dramatically different environments necessitate different tactics, which helps keep PUBG from feeling stale. The most common map is Erangel, the Russian-inspired 8x8 kilometer island that features a diverse landscape of forests, cities, farms, and swamps. Miranmar is an 8x8 kilometer stretch of Mexican desert with wide open spaces and sparse cover beyond its myriad of shantytowns. More maps are on the way, like Savage, a much tighter 4x4 kilometer tropical jungle island.
Vehicles
The only vehicles currently in Fortnite are the party bus that you use to fly into each match and your customizable glider that helps you zip from area to area. Outside of that, Fortnite is surprisingly vehicle-free. Epic has stated that it has no immediate plans to add vehicles to the game. The studio's stance on the matter likely has something to do with how vehicles might affect the flow of the game. At present, Fortnite's fast and furious playstyle is at least partially derived from the game's insistence that players traverse on foot and the smaller, more contained nature of the game's areas and map.
PUBG players have the ability to traverse maps in cars, boats, bikes, buggies, and more. Vehicles are a huge part of the PUBG experience, which is somewhat surprising given how the game really emphasizes a "boots on the ground" military approach. The trade-off with vehicles is that they offer a way to zip from point to point across PUBG's large maps, but they also leave you vulnerable to gunfire from just about every angle. Vehicles are a big "come shoot me" sign you wear around your neck, but they're also often essential to victory (especially when playing with squads).
Weapons and Items
Fortnite's assortment of weapons and items is somewhat odd. While the rest of the game is crazy and sometimes cartoonish, most of the Fortnite weapons are based on real-world guns. That's not to say that you can't do things in the game like launch a portable fort or ride a rocket across the map, but most of the game's action revolves around shotguns and assault rifles. Weapon management in Fortnite boils down to ensuring that you have access to a variety of weapons and items that will allow you to stand your ground in just about every situation.
Unsurprisingly, PUBG features quite a few recreations of real-world weapons. Unlike Fortnite, though, where a variety of weapons are needed to succeed, there's more of a hierarchy in PUBG's arsenal. Melee weapons are basically useless, pistols aren't much better, and even shotguns can be incredibly situational. What you really want is a good assault rifle with top-tier weapon attachments and a variety of scopes. It's also much harder to win in PUBG if you don't manage to loot some level three armor by the time that the player count is reduced to a handful of survivors.
Updates
Fortnite has settled into reliable cadence with updates arriving every two weeks with new weapons, items (see the bush and launchpad), skins, and tweaks in tow. The map has also received a facelift, with a visual makeover and the addition of several new zones on its western half.
PUBG is consistently getting new updates that add maps, guns, and much-needed fixes. While it's no longer on Steam Early Access, there's still a good deal of work happening month after month. The developers have also shown a willingness to respond quickly to community feedback—especially regarding microtransactions.
Mobile
PUBG Mobile's currently available on Android and iOS devices worldwide. All you'll have to do is search for it in your respective Play or Apple Stores and get it downloaded to begin playing.
Fortnite's not quite reached PUBG's scale just yet. Fortnite Mobile is only available on iOS devices at the moment with Android sign ups open and a release date somewhere on the horizon.
In terms of gameplay experiences, both offer brilliant performance and you'll find every piece of content from the main versions of the game too. Same modes, maps, weapons and all.
So, which is better for you?
Gameplay
In terms of fundamentals, PUBG and Fortnite: Battle Royale are effectively the same. You'll parachute onto a map, loot buildings, escape the blue circle and attempt to outlast 99 other players.
The major difference between the two are their takes on the Battle Royale genre. PUBG focuses on realism, with weapon attachments, punishing recoil, bullet drop and a greater focus on inventory management.
Fortnite's a little more accessible in this regard, with a greater emphasis on frantic, fun combat over realism. The biggest difference is building. You can harvest materials you discover in the game world to create forts and defensive structures that'll help you survive encounters or gain the advantage.
PUBG's got vehicles, while Fortnite doesn't. If you're into cruising around maps with allies in the backseat, then PUBG's pipped Fortnite in this regard.
Finally, both offer a decent variety of game modes. PUBG's got weekly events and custom matches, while Fortnite's also got Limited-Time Game Modes that last for around a week.
Platforms and Price
Fortnite is currently available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Mac operating systems. We have introduced all the Fortnite controls. The game runs very well on all devices - even iOS - and offers crossplay between nearly every combination of devices besides the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. The game is even coming to Android sometime in the summer of 2018. The game is free-to-play across all platforms but does offer quite a few opportunities for in-game purchases. Generally speaking, character skins are more of a culture in Fortnite than they are in PUBG. That means you might want to grind for them or try to buy them.
PUBG is currently only available for PC, Xbox One, Android, and iOS. While it is possible to play the game on Mac computers, there is no official way to do so at this time. There's been no indication that the game will come to PlayStation 4 in the near future, either. At present, the preferred way to play PUBG is on PC. The game's Xbox One version suffers from technical issues, control problems, and a comparative lack of updates. While the title is playable on Android and iOS, neither version offers the full experience. PUBG is free-to-play on mobile devices but costs $29.99 on PC and Xbox One.
Graphics
PUBG and Fortnite are both battle royale games with similar mechanics, but when it comes to visuals they're very distinct. Which one you find is better, however, is largely down to personal preference.
While PUBG goes for a gritty militarism that feels more realistic, Fortnite is much more colorful and cartoonish – kind of in the vein of titles like Overwatch. It's really down to you which kind of world you prefer to play in.
Maps
Fortnite currently has one map, and Epic hasn't announced or hinted at any more to come. What's there is tiny by battle royale standards, around a quarter the size of PUBG's smallest 4x4 kilometer map. It's hilly and green, dotted with areas designed for different styles of play. Tilted Towers is a couple city blocks featuring tall buildings and flat, open streets between them. Wailing Woods is a dense forest with a hedge maze at its center. Pleasant Park is a suburban neighborhood bordering a soccer field. With nearly 20 named locations and dozens of smaller landmarks between them, Fortnite's map is dense, but diverse.
PUBG has several different maps to play on. The dramatically different environments necessitate different tactics, which helps keep PUBG from feeling stale. The most common map is Erangel, the Russian-inspired 8x8 kilometer island that features a diverse landscape of forests, cities, farms, and swamps. Miranmar is an 8x8 kilometer stretch of Mexican desert with wide open spaces and sparse cover beyond its myriad of shantytowns. More maps are on the way, like Savage, a much tighter 4x4 kilometer tropical jungle island.
Vehicles
The only vehicles currently in Fortnite are the party bus that you use to fly into each match and your customizable glider that helps you zip from area to area. Outside of that, Fortnite is surprisingly vehicle-free. Epic has stated that it has no immediate plans to add vehicles to the game. The studio's stance on the matter likely has something to do with how vehicles might affect the flow of the game. At present, Fortnite's fast and furious playstyle is at least partially derived from the game's insistence that players traverse on foot and the smaller, more contained nature of the game's areas and map.
PUBG players have the ability to traverse maps in cars, boats, bikes, buggies, and more. Vehicles are a huge part of the PUBG experience, which is somewhat surprising given how the game really emphasizes a "boots on the ground" military approach. The trade-off with vehicles is that they offer a way to zip from point to point across PUBG's large maps, but they also leave you vulnerable to gunfire from just about every angle. Vehicles are a big "come shoot me" sign you wear around your neck, but they're also often essential to victory (especially when playing with squads).
Weapons and Items
Fortnite's assortment of weapons and items is somewhat odd. While the rest of the game is crazy and sometimes cartoonish, most of the Fortnite weapons are based on real-world guns. That's not to say that you can't do things in the game like launch a portable fort or ride a rocket across the map, but most of the game's action revolves around shotguns and assault rifles. Weapon management in Fortnite boils down to ensuring that you have access to a variety of weapons and items that will allow you to stand your ground in just about every situation.
Unsurprisingly, PUBG features quite a few recreations of real-world weapons. Unlike Fortnite, though, where a variety of weapons are needed to succeed, there's more of a hierarchy in PUBG's arsenal. Melee weapons are basically useless, pistols aren't much better, and even shotguns can be incredibly situational. What you really want is a good assault rifle with top-tier weapon attachments and a variety of scopes. It's also much harder to win in PUBG if you don't manage to loot some level three armor by the time that the player count is reduced to a handful of survivors.
Updates
Fortnite has settled into reliable cadence with updates arriving every two weeks with new weapons, items (see the bush and launchpad), skins, and tweaks in tow. The map has also received a facelift, with a visual makeover and the addition of several new zones on its western half.
PUBG is consistently getting new updates that add maps, guns, and much-needed fixes. While it's no longer on Steam Early Access, there's still a good deal of work happening month after month. The developers have also shown a willingness to respond quickly to community feedback—especially regarding microtransactions.
Mobile
PUBG Mobile's currently available on Android and iOS devices worldwide. All you'll have to do is search for it in your respective Play or Apple Stores and get it downloaded to begin playing.
Fortnite's not quite reached PUBG's scale just yet. Fortnite Mobile is only available on iOS devices at the moment with Android sign ups open and a release date somewhere on the horizon.
In terms of gameplay experiences, both offer brilliant performance and you'll find every piece of content from the main versions of the game too. Same modes, maps, weapons and all.
So, which is better for you?