Could Fortnite: Battle Royale get a first-person mode? Here’s how it would affect esports

First-person shooters are one of the most popular video game genres. Fortnite, however, has traditionally offered third-person gameplay instead. Fortnite first dipped its toes into the world of first-person in December 2024, when Epic added Ballistic mode.

Though first-person is currently limited to specific experiences, Fortnite’s large player base could also justify implementing the feature into Battle Royale. There are many ways that Fortnite could accomplish such a feat, so let’s jump into how first-person could be added to Epic’s build-battle shooter in the future.

Most battle royales revolving around ranged combat offer first-person, and some also offer an optional third-person view. PUBG initially gave players the option to switch between viewpoints, while Call of Duty: Warzone has had a focus on first-person since its release.

Some components of Fortnite would be challenging in first-person, like building, so Epic would have to update various mechanics for the new perspective. However, Ballistic and Creative both prove that first-person can run smoothly in Fortnite, even if some aspects require polishing.

There are millions of gamers who prefer first-person gameplay as opposed to third-person, so the option to toggle it on could introduce an entirely new group of potential players to Fortnite: Battle Royale.

Ballistic is a first-person mode with round-based gameplay and a 5v5 format. Players use unique gadgets and weapons to complete objectives and defeat enemy combatants. Ballistic was the first mode in Fortnite to offer a first-person view, and it’s still in its infancy.

There are two ways that Fortnite could go about adding a secondary perspective. It could simply be an optional setting in Battle Royale, though it might make more sense to develop a new mode that removes building and adds first-person as the default viewpoint.

An optional first-person setting would be challenging to implement, though it’s not impossible. New animations may be required for building and combat to fit with the new perspective.

The differences between first-person and third-person are huge from an animation standpoint, plus first-person players would be at a major disadvantage. Overall, a setting to switch viewpoints could eventually be implemented in Fortnite: Battle Royale, but it’s the harder of the two options.

Fortnite has offered players a plethora of options between regular Battle Royale, Zero-Build, and OG mode, so we predict that Epic Games would likely try to implement a first-person BR as an entirely new experience.

An ideal first-person mode would remove or overhaul building since the traditional strategies and builds would be difficult to perform without the help of a third-person perspective. A secondary Battle Royale mode might also limit access to certain equipment, as many vehicles and mythic items would be challenging to use in first-person.

Overall, a new mode for first-person would expand Fortnite’s reach, but it could also split up the fan base, especially among the esports community.

The addition of first-person would certainly expand Fortnite’s appeal to the gaming community in general, and it might even create a new competitive community. Tournaments held in first-person would be a real possibility since secondary modes, like Reload, have recently been used for professional esports competitions.

A first-person mode for Battle Royale has as much esports potential as the third-person iteration of Fortnite. If popular, athletes from other first-person shooters might even decide to transition into competitive Fortnite, bringing their fans along with them.

There is a chance that a first-person perspective would split up the competitive community into two groups, but innovation always comes with its risks.

The size of the competitive fan base isn’t the only thing that would be affected by a first-person perspective, but the meta itself. Certain vehicles and weapons would function better in first-person, so some guns might receive a glow-up. As such, the best vehicles and guns would be drastically different from a first-person perspective, potentially affecting the overall meta.

As Ballistic grows in popularity and receives new updates, Epic Games may lean harder into first-person to offer new options. There are multiple ways that first-person could be implemented into the Battle Royale experience, but an entirely new mode is the most logical option.

Fortnite isn’t going anywhere, and Epic continues to innovate in each and every season. If we do get a first-person perspective in Fortnite: Battle Royale, then it may expand the competitive community while also splitting the fan base into two groups, offering more diverse options that all gamers can enjoy.