Fortnite: The Perfect College Pastime

Forget about late-night parties that keep you up ‘til the wee hours of the morning. Let long hours socializing in the frat and sorority halls fall by the wayside. And that romantic movie date with the cutie from across your dorm room? Ditch it! There’s only one thing you should be doing in your downtime while at university and that, my friend, is setting your firearms ablaze. It’s Fortnite galore or nothing!

Outselling PUBG mobile five times over during its first week alone, it’s safe to say that Fortnite is now the undisputed king of the Battle Royale genre. While gaming certainly knows no age, Fortnite sure does have the intricate qualities that make it ideal for students just like you. It’s the ultimate college pastime so let’s delve deeper and look at the reasons that make it so.

Let Loose and Shoot—It’s the Perfect Stress Reliever

Tired of term papers and endless sessions of burning the midnight oil? Boot up your laptop and go on an all-out Fortnite session with your best buds. You’re sure to let out all that pent-up energy and come back to your academics with an unburdened mind as well as a fresher perspective on things. Now, we’re not saying play Fortnite for the entirety of the semester—that’s a surefire way to fail your classes! What we mean is that you must find a perfect balance between work and play. Though it may seem like it at times, you’re not a machine that’s built to study 24/7. Take a break occasionally. You deserve it.

To the Battlefield and Beyond—You Get to Explore the World Outside Your Dorm

Dorm life doesn’t need to be a prison sentence. Sure, certain things must be done for you to keep your GPA up, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to zone out on the virtual battleground every so often. Fortnite provides the perfect temporary escapism to free you from the utterly hectic pace of college life. With Fortnite, you can even connect with friends from far and wide or make new acquaintances along the way. It’s a great way to socialize without having to leave the confines of your room.

Plug, Play, and Come Back Another Day—It Won’t Eat Up Your Time

There’s a reason why you’re in college: To get an education. That’s the bottom line. So, you can broaden your horizons as much as possible and have as many options later in life, right? Fortnite will not take up so much of your time that you end up neglecting your academic duties. It isn’t as demanding nor time-consuming as other games (like MMORPGs, for instance). You can play it in steady increments whenever you can squeeze in a few minutes of game time into your busy schedule. 

Let’s face it. Quite a lot of the misadventures that happen during your downtime in college are of the crazy variety. They’re the kind of stuff that you immediately regret the day after. Save yourself from embarrassing escapades. Instead, play your way to be the last man standing on Fortnite during your free time. So, when it’s time to get serious, you’ll be fresh enough to work your way up to the top of the class rankings. It’s all a matter of finding your equilibrium. All work and no play can make Jack a dull boy, after all.

PUBG vs Fortnite mobile: Which is better?

Ever since the mobile gaming industry blew up, Battle Royale games have been the in thing for smartphone users. Of all the titles released on mobile, two games were able to shine the brightest. Both of these games enjoyed immense popularity and still continue to enjoy lofty heights of success—even after many games that tried to emulate them have fallen. These two games are Fortnite and PUBG.

Fortnite, notably, has become so popular we’ve even made a Fortnite Value Calculator for the sellers who want to know what their accounts are worth in the online market. Both games have quickly become the go-to games to play on mobile.

But how do they differ? And which one is better?

Here, we’ll try to find the answer as we undertake a point-by-point analysis.

Graphics

It’s amazing how good both these games look. PUBG looks almost identical to its PC/Xbox One counterpart and Fortnite looks almost the same as its other versions as well. Objectively, there’s no way to tell which game looks better because it really all comes down to your style and personal preference.

PUBG is a military-style shooter with realistic graphics. The characters look like real human beings and the guns look like you can grab one off the phone because of how real they look. While Fortnite, on the other hand, takes a cartoonish, less serious approach. Everything is in Fortnite is so bright & colorful you’d think the game was taken right out of a Pixar film. While some weapons are based on real ones, there are others that seem to come straight out of cartoon shows like the grenade launcher that had an “Egg Launcher” re-skin at one point. Instead of normal vehicles to get around, players make do with golf carts, launch pads, and jetpacks in the limited time modes.

Gameplay

Neither of these games invented the Battle Royale formula, but the basic free-for-all gameplay is the same; drop onto an island with 99 other people, collect weapons and other gear, and fight until the last man (or woman) is left standing.

PUBG Mobile’s intense and its gunfights give players a genuine sense that death is imminent. With its realistic gameplay such as hiding in the environment for cover, you can really feel the pressure when engaging in gunfights. Getting caught unaware spells almost certain death, which makes players approach things more cautiously; hiding behind trees, bushes, and other such makeshift covers.

In comparison, Fortnite gives players a lot more room to manoeuver and play creatively, giving it a more dynamic type of gameplay. Much of that maneuverability comes from the fact that players in Fortnite can build structures using the resources they’ve collected. They can go hammering away at trees, rocks, or buildings using their pickaxe that they have at the start of the game. All is not lost if you’re caught in an open field as quickly building tower or fort for defense will provide you with enough time to assess your surroundings or heal up.

Controls

Tiny screens and touch controls make picking stuff up, opening doors, and so forth a little trickier than usual. Thankfully though, both of these games have an auto pick-up feature!

In PUBG, you can turn the auto pick-up feature on and off easily on the screen itself. When activated, you’ll be able to pick up anything that you need and automatically equip it if it’s an attachment. Essentially, the game automatically picks up the best stuff and ignores the rest unless you tap the icon to pick the item up manually. For example, if you pick up a scope for your rifle, it will automatically be attached to your weapon. This is incredibly useful since it takes much of the game’s nitty-gritty trivialities out of the picture.

In Fortnite, the auto pick-up feature is also available but it’s less full-featured. This, in part, is due to the game itself being much simpler and more streamlined. There are no scopes or silencers in Fortnite—only guns. So there are fewer items overall and less inventory management to contend with. However, the game does not have PUBG’s auto-sorting feature, so if you have a common weapon equipped and come across a rare version of it, you will need to swap it out manually.

So who’s the Winner?

In the end, both of these mobile iterations of the two most popular Battle Royale games in the world right now are great. Heck, Fortnite items and even a Fortnite Account can be found for sale on various websites these days. There’s no exact winner at this point since it just really depends on what you’re in the mood for. If you like fast, fun, and goofy matches that offer more creative freedom, you can get your fix via Fortnite. But if you prefer slower, more intense, and serious matches where death is imminent, you’d be better off going with PUBG.

Some Reasons Why Fortnite Trumped PUBG on Twitch

When Fortnite released its Battle Royale mode, everybody thought it was going to compete with PUBG. It has not done much to PUBG's player base yet, so they have been coexisting for some time. However, now, Fortnite has beaten PUBG as a more streamed and played game on Twitch.

How did this happen?

Fatigue

PUBG is exciting yes, but it starts out really slow. There are mostly the same actions throughout rounds. You jump out of the plane, gather supplies and equipment, hide and look for other players, race to the safe zone, and repeat. Sure, there is some variety in the two maps that are available to play in, but you can easily end up getting tired of those them after multiple encounters.

Meanwhile, Fortnite may only have one map, but it is smaller and more compact. You are more likely to encounter players throughout the game as well. There is also the ability of knowing the location of chests beforehand. They are great for setting up ambushes, which adds another layer of strategy to the game. Overall, Fortnite is just a little better at delivering the action more often, which gives it an advantage over PUBG.

Cheaters

With PUBG's servers open to Chinese players, the incidence of cheating increased dramatically. It also has led to the steady decline of PUBG's player base, and now that decline has given way to Fortnite's popularity. Granted, the players who are moving to the latter have helped boost its popularity.

Quicker Rounds, and More Action

Fortnite is much better at being streamed than PUBG. The smaller map gives a higher player encounter rate, and the added feature of building forts while playing is just amazing. In addition to that, there are things other than building forts you that you cannot do in PUBG that you can in Fortnite. For example, riding a rocket or using an impact grenade is one aspect of the game. These kinds of features give a really different and more enjoyable experience to the game.

What Does This Mean for PUBG?

Until PUBG solves the rampant cheating that has been increasing within the game, players will be reluctant to return to it. Even if there are updates (the new PUBG skins look great) and additional features, the experience of playing the game is has been ruined by the cheating players. They cannot even begin to lure new players in, because who would want to pay to play an unfair game?

How to Download PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds on iPhone, iPad, and Android

1.     Go to the app catalog (iTunes App Store or Google Play Store)

2.     Search PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds Mobile

3.     Select and download version published by Tencent Games

4.     Enjoy PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds on mobile!

The problem comes for those who are not in the United States or Canada. Of course, there is a way around this.

Option One: Change Your Apple/Google Account Location

For Apple users, the process is quite lengthy. You must create a new account in iCloud and use an email address that you have access to. Then, go to the App Store once the account is created and, when prompted to complete your Apple ID, choose 'United States' as your location. Skip the section of adding a payment method and input an address. Go back to the App Store and search for PUBG Mobile by Tencent Games. Finally, download and enjoy! Be sure to backup your data before logging out.

For Android users, it is very simple to create a profile and change locations in Google Payments Center. You'll need an address as well, which is pretty simple to get. Once the address is verified, you can download the app from the Play Store.

Option Two: Alternative Methods

Particularly for Android users, they have the option to download the .apk or .obb game files and manually install them, by bypassing going to the Play Store. Of course, this carries a risk of opening your device to potentially harmful files, but it is up to you to take this route or not.

There is also a chance that your friend could have the files needed or an app-sharing app on their device. It is way easier than creating a new account.

Option Three: Wait

If the options above are not to your liking, all you can do is wait for the app to release within your region. You will miss out on events and any PUBG items they might give out, but it may be worth the wait. Whatever method you decide to use to download and play PUBG Mobile, we hope you enjoy it!

Mobile vs. PC: A Blow-by-Blow PUBG Comparison

Cross-platform game titles have now become commonplace. However, the transition from one platform to another—especially from PC to limited capability mobile devices—isn’t always met with success. With the way PlayerUknown’s Battlegrounds shook the gaming landscape, it was only a matter of time before people clamored for a mobile-friendly version of it. This is something that good folks over at PUBG Corporation willingly obliged with PUBG Mobile’s release last month.

Inevitably, the move to the mobile platform drew many comparisons with the original PC version. This is pretty much expected—especially with a game as high-profile as PUBG. Here’s a look at the key differences—at least the ones that are immediately noticeable—in PUBG when played on these two platforms.

Graphics

Graphics-wise, there’s just no comparison. There’s just no way for mobile devices to crank up as much juice for PUBG to operate on the way amped-up PC rigs can let it. That said, the transition to PUBG isn’t all that rough at all. While there are indeed hardware limitations, the graphics on PUBG Mobile is still decent enough for players to engage a level of feel the realism that the game is noted for in its previous incarnation.

While it’s true that the graphics level of detail on PUBG Mobile isn’t on par with its PC and console version, it still has the edge over its mobile counterparts. Besides, the fact that mobile devices don’t have large screens, to begin with, makes it easy to overlook the lack of graphics power. PUBG Mobile offers excellent resolution considering its size and hardware muscle (or lack thereof).

Controllability

PUBG’s controls ultimately lend itself to the keyboard and mouse combo—even more so than on console. With the many variations that players need to master, translating its controls to the mobile setting can be somewhat of a challenge. Now comes what may be the clincher for some. The good news is that PUBG mobile offers players the chance to customize their on-screen controls. While this may be passable for some, a vast majority of players just can’t get over the fact that so many controls are packed into a tiny screen. Don’t expect to have the same level of success rate on PUBG Mobile. In short, the chicken dinner will most likely have to wait.

Overall Gameplay

Regarding overall gameplay, there isn’t much of a difference between PUBG’s PC and mobile versions. Everything from the plane drop right down to the weapons can be found on mobile—even the viewing scope for snipers is present. To top the icing on the proverbial cake, players still have the option of customization via PUBG fashion and skins. In fact, there are considerably more customization options on mobile compared to the PC build!

While there’s no masking the fact that the overall gaming experience is so much better on its original platforms (consoles included), PUBG Mobile does offer one aspect that others do not: sheer mobility. It allows players who are always on the go the luxury to get their PUBG fix anytime, anywhere. To me, that is a welcome treat that deserves a round of applause.

Retro Clothing's Back in Style in PUBG

Aside from the new map that's in the works, two new cosmetic crates are being introduced to PUBG. Specifically, players will be getting the Fever crate and the Militia crate. While the Militia crate contains more edge for your avatar, the Fever crate contains more fashionable clothes.

Tear Up the Battlegrounds with Style

The Fever crate contains many clothing choices that will remind players of the 70s and 80s. Dance your way through your opponents and the maps with these rockin' threads. Mix and match the different clothing the crate contains, from turtlenecks and jackets to scarves and gloves. Here's a full list, if you're interested.

• ·         White Zest Turtleneck
• ·         Beige School Shoes
• ·         Mesh Polo Shirt
• ·         Khaki Combat Gloves
• ·         Coral Checkered Shirt
• ·         Pink Hi-top Canvas Sneakers
• ·         Retro Polo Shirt
• ·         Coral Combat Pants
• ·         Zest Sunglasses
• ·         Zest Loafers with Socks
• ·         Denim Bootcut Pants
• ·         Zest Bootcut Pants
• ·         Zest Silk Scarf
• ·         Floral Retro Jacket
• ·         Zest Retro Jacket
• ·         Zest Denim Jacket
• ·         Cropped Corset
• ·         Zest Checkered Skirt

So get out there and start collecting.

Wreak Havoc with the Militia Crate

On the other hand, the Militia crate brings out the badass in you with its rebellious theme. They even drop the ‘Erangel resistance force outfit' and the ‘Miramar frontiersman outfit'. What's even better, this crate can be obtained free of charge by spending BP. Here's a list of the possible PUBG fashion items you can get.

• ·         Gray Tank Top
• ·         Red or White Raglan T-shirt
• ·         Pink Polo Shirt
• ·         Vintage Polo Shirt
• ·         Gray Military Shirt
• ·         Black Military Trousers
• ·         Black Long-Sleeved Turtleneck
• ·         Brown Utility Belt
• ·         Red Camo Tank Top
• ·         Black Military Boots
• ·         Battle Belt
• ·         Vintage Gas Mask
• ·         Leather Bootcut Pants
• ·         Black Military Jacket
• ·         Black Military Cap
• ·         Brown Cowboy Hat
• ·         Faux Leather Jacket
• ·         White Cowboy Hat
• ·         Black Military Skirt

Get Those Wardrobes Updated

The time to save up and spend BP (or money) is now. Get these crates and outfits before they get pulled out of circulation. Granted, they've just been added and it'll still be a long time, but don't wait too long. These crates also add a touch of color to PUBG's rather drab fashion lineup, though that might be a disadvantage for those who prefer sneaking around.

The brighter colors might be more noticeable in certain environments, which is bad when you usually don't want others to notice you. However, it's totally okay if that's the purpose you were aiming for. At any rate, go and dominate the battlegrounds with a style only you can pull off.

Enjoy PUBG!

To Keep or Not To Keep: Understanding the Basic Items in PUBG

Looting is a fine art.

It’s a fine art that you have to master if you want to be the last person standing in a game like PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS. To be proficient at looting, you’ll need near-psychic skills akin to Nostradamus to figure out which items are worth the trouble of keeping on your character. Fortunately, we’re here to break down the essentials and help you figure out which PUBG items you should be keeping, and which ones you can afford to go without.

Put your thinking cap on and pay close attention because today we’re going to run through all the important items in PUBG.

Storage

Let’s start things off with storage since this item type dictates how much you can carry. Vests (50 capacity); utility belts (50 capacity); and backpacks(150, 200, and 250 capacity) are as essential to survival as the items they hold. Contrary to what you may have heard, high-level vests do not offer extra carrying capacity over lower-level ones. Many players also tend to unequip their utility belts in their player menu. Backpacks are where it gets tricky. High-level backpacks do give more carrying capacity than lower tiers. However, their sheer size can also cause you to be easily spotted by enemies—a tight predicament if you’re into the covert style of play. Depending on your approach to the game, you may or may not want to level up your backpacks.

Armor

You need more than just a good firearm if you’re to survive wave after wave of gunfights. This is where good armor comes in. Vests and helmets can give you the leverage to outlast others—especially in surprise encounters. Level 1 vests have a durability of 200 and can provide you 30% damage reduction. With level 2 vests, durability goes up to 220 while damage reduction increases to 40%. Lastly, level 3 vests come with 55% damage reduction with a durability of 250.

With helmets, we’ll skip right to the most important point which is that level 3 helmets can give you enough protection to withstand a barrage. In fact, the AWN is the only firearm with enough power to knock you out with a single headshot while you’re wearing a level 3 helmet.

Here’s one that’s definitely worth keeping: the frying pan. Laugh if you will, but the iconic pub frying pan will save your butt sooner or later. In fact, you can even use it to deliver strikes of utter ignominy to send an unwitting opponent to an early grave. There’s no bigger insult, after all, than to have been done in with kitchenware.

 Consumables

Here comes the fun part; the consumables. Let’s take an item by item approach.

Adrenaline Syringe –With an instant boost of 100 adrenaline, there’s no reason to throw this item aside. While there's the issue of an 8-second casting time, you can negate that by using it when you’re well covered.

Pain Killer – With a boost of only 60 health, you might want to think twice about this item. That being said, every bit helps—especially if you’re in a tight situation (e.g. surrounded by enemies). If there’s ample room in your storage, take it. If not, you can probably live without it.

Energy Drink – Need an instant buzz? The energy drink can give you a boost of 40 health. Just like the painkiller, it’s not a necessity but every little bit can help in a scrimmage to be the last player standing.

First Aid Kit – This item provides an instant healing surge. The downside is that you can only use this when your overall health is lower than 75.

Med Kit – Utterly essential, make room for this in your storage. Med Kits can instantly heal you to full strength.

Gas Can – This really depends on your strategy. If you’re the type of player who steers clear of vehicles, why bother? If you do intend to use it, however, note that it comes with a 3-second cast time.

An understanding of the basic items in PUBG can give you the knowledge to know which ones are worth keeping and which ones are not. A lot of times, this understanding is the difference between winning and losing. Having the right items can give you the confidence to launch headlong into seemingly impossible firefights. When you have the right items in your backpack, you effectively boost your chances of coming through unscathed. Remember the points we’ve raised and you’ll increase your chances of getting that ever-elusive chicken dinner.

PUBG Competitive Tips

Come hang out with @level0studios Team and learn a rundown of the PUBG basics that you need to know.

2018 Hottest Video Games Predictions

In a matter of days, we will flip calendars to a new year. There are bound to be a few games that will grow in popularity as we move into 2018, and those are the games we’d like to discuss today. Below are three titles that we predict will be some of 2018’s hottest games!

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – PUBG

Credit: PUBG Corp.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds may have made the survival shooter genre-relevant again in 2017. Sure, H1Z1 and DayZ were there, but they never succeeded in raising the genre to the soaring popularity enjoyed by PUBG. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was very popular in 2017. As soon as the game entered early access, players all over the world joined in on the fun and never stopped. How popular could this game really be, you ask? At its peak, almost 17 million players were recorded playing worldwide. The trend shows no signs of stopping, either. With its recent release on Xbox One and PC in December of 2017, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ popularity will only continue to grow in 2018.

Rocket League

Credit: Psyonix

33 million is the magic number for Rocket League. 33 million copies of Rocket League have been sold across all platforms, meaning that there are AT LEAST 33 million players worldwide. A similarly impressive statistic is that active players per day reach approximately 1.5 million. There are 3.3 million players every week and 6.1 million players monthly. With numbers that amazing, no one is expecting Rocket League to decline in 2018. In fact, we predict that Rocket League will only become even more popular in 2018.

One of the main reasons that we think Rocket League will stay relevant in 2018 is the huge following that it has developed in the E-Sports scene. Rocket League tournaments and majors were held recently and attracted a huge audience. As more players realize that playing the game and actually getting good at it gives them a chance to become E-Sports athletes, the huge player base is going to continue to thrive. New players might even migrate to Rocket League because of its E-Sports scene alone! Big companies are also taking notice of Rocket League’s E-Sports presence and are sponsoring different Rocket League tournaments.

Path of Exile

Credit: Grinding Gear Games

This might be an unpopular opinion, but hear us out. Numbers don’t lie, my friend: POE’s player base increased by 40% in 2017 thanks to Patch 2.6.0. In March 2017, the peak player count soared to 113 thousand. Steam also reported a 150% growth in the number of players in the last 30 days, with a peak of 70 thousand players in-game at once. That’s a huge number considering that the game is not accessible on Steam in some parts of the world, so many Path of Exile players aren’t playing the game through Valve’s gaming service.

War for the Atlas, the latest expansion to Path of Exile, was just released on December 8, 2017. It’s just a matter of time before this release results in a spike in Path of Exile’s player base. New content always means an influx of new and returning players.

Do you agree with our top three predictions for 2018? If not, what are your predictions for the hottest games of 2018? Let us know!

PUBG performs badly on Xbox One - and X • Eurogamer.net

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is - without question - the biggest game in the world right now, so Microsoft's current console exclusivity for the title is obviously a big deal. Equally without question is that the PC game is notorious for its work-in-progress visuals and wobbly performance. With that in mind, some might say that it's somewhat miraculous that any playable version of PUBG is possible on a console right now. From another perspective though, what's clear is that the current build of the game is a long way short of the standards expected from a polished console release.
PUBG on Xbox One starts up promisingly enough with a decent, attractive front-end, but once you've moved on from character creation to your first in-game lobby, you're instantly besieged by low-resolution textures that seem to be failing to stream in properly, combined with performance just above or below the 20fps threshold - depending on whether you're playing on Xbox One or its significantly more powerful 4K counterpart. Continue Reading full story here