TL;DR
- Zero build is a secondary version of Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode.
- Zero build doesn’t allow building and offers a 50-point shield to all competitors, but it’s not significantly different from standard Battle Royale.
- Building in Fortnite is a challenging mechanic, creating a huge skill gap between beginners and long-time players.
- Popular Fortnite influencers have recently been pointing out the explosion in popularity of zero build, which might encourage esports to shift in the same direction.
- If competitive Fortnite did begin shifting towards zero build, then the transition would likely be slow, starting with a few standalone tournaments hosted officially by Epic Games.
The future of competitive Fortnite is looking bright following 2025’s FNCS Global Championship. Zero build options have been gaining popularity over the past three years as more beginners realise that building simply isn’t for them.
New reports are indicating that zero build may have a larger player base than the core experience, so we’re going to take a peek at how this trend might affect the esports community over the next decade. Building will always be the foundation of Epic’s third-person shooter, but if there’s one thing that Fortnite has taught gamers, it’s that there’s always room for evolution.
Rise of zero build in Fortnite
Reputable leaker HYPEX recently posted to X about a rise in popularity of zero build, noting that it was consistently more popular than standard Battle Royale mode over the week of September 3. However, this news doesn’t come as a surprise, as zero build has been gaining popularity since its permanent introduction in 2022.
Though building makes Fortnite stand out, there’s nothing quite like it in any other mainstream multiplayer shooters, so it presents a huge learning curve for beginners. Newer players often gravitate towards zero build since it offers a battle royale experience similar to PUBG and Warzone.
At the moment, there are 64K players in standard Battle Royale and 65.4K players in Battle Royale Zero Build, showing that the gap is never too far off between the dual game modes.
Differences between standard BR and zero build
The table below briefly explains how zero build and regular BR are different, along with how they each affect gameplay throughout a match.
| Standard Battle Royale | Zero Build Battle Royale |
|---|---|
| • Building is turned on • Players spend a significant amount of time harvesting materials from objects around the map. • Enemies holding building materials drop them upon being defeated. • Build battles often determine the victor of a fight. | • Building is turned off • Most time between player fights is spent looking for ammo and weapons. • Zero build offers players a special shield that absorbs 50 damage and regenerates without the need for healing items. • Gunfights usually determine the victor of a battle. |
What does zero build’s popularity mean for Fortnite esports?
As more new players try Fortnite, we’ll likely continue to see an increase in the popularity of zero build. Eventually, zero build could be the most popular way to experience Fortnite, which might cause Epic Games to consider making it the default experience for competitive play.
Esports fans want to watch competitions that represent their favourite modes and allow them to pick up new strategies by observing skilled athletes, so competitive tournaments could shift towards using zero build over the next few years.
How could tournaments respond?
The transition might start off slowly, with a single zero build tournament. If Epic notes that zero build competitions are receiving more viewers than standard FNCS matches, then they might schedule more tournaments with a focus on traditional combat to bring in new esports viewers. Organisers could even promote the transition by offering Twitch Drops or other rewards for tuning into each competition.
The goal of esports is to generate profit and increase viewership, so if a majority of the Fortnite player base prefers building turned off, it makes sense that Epic would consider shifting its focus to the most popular way to play. Currently, Epic Games rarely hosts tournaments focused on zero build gameplay.
For now, standard BR and zero build are fairly equal in popularity, so it’ll probably still be a few years until the latter overtakes the former by a wide margin.
Conclusion: Zero build could overtake Battle Royale in the future
With the way Fortnite players are shifting, it’s quite likely that zero build will have the larger player base in a few years. If BR players do shift towards zero build, then the esports scene might take notice and even begin to focus on organising tournaments that don’t allow building.
Zero build is easier to learn, so esports competitions in this style offer more Fortnite fans a chance to compete at the pro level. Building will probably always be a core part of Fortnite, but the mass appeal of zero build may force esports to go in a new direction.
FAQs
What is the most popular game mode in Fortnite?
Battle Royale is generally Fortnite’s most popular game mode, with the player base split between standard and zero build variants of BR.
Are more people playing zero builds in Fortnite now?
Yes, at the time of writing, there are 65.4K active players in Battle Royale Zero Build and only 64K active players in standard Battle Royale mode.
Is zero build better than battle royale in Fortnite?
Zero build is significantly easier to understand for beginners because its gameplay is similar to other popular shooters in 2025, but it’s not objectively better in any specific way.
