Fortnite on iOS runs like a dream

Fortnite Battle Royale is now live on iOS. Invites for the iPhone version of Fortnite have hit the inboxes of some players who signed up to test the game. I just received mine. How does the mobile version stack up against the console and PC version? You may be surprised to find out that it runs great.

Yes, a game that until today demanded the power of consoles and PCs now plays without glaring hiccups on a smartphone. As I tap the on-screen icon that allows me to fly out of Fortnite’s party bus, it is hard to believe this game is running on my iPhone 8 Plus — and running smoothly at that.

Epic Games

Epic Games has done a fantastic job getting the game to perform well on iOS, and managed to keep it relatively small, with a 2 GB download. Despite having certain controls like duck, jump and item selection taking up precious screen real estate, I found the experience to be incredibly intuitive. You slide your left thumb in any given direction to move, and you can either slide it further or double-tap to start running. Turning is handled by swiping your right thumb in either direction. Complicated movements, like quickly spinning around or spotting a target, feel accurate. It isn’t nearly as clunky as I had feared it might be.

The flow of the game is the same as ever. Outside of playing the game in the palm of your hands, this is the Fortnite you’re familiar with. Thankfully, Fortnite on mobile adds a few unique features that make the process of hunting enemies much simpler than it is on console and PC. Because some of us may play the mobile version of Fortnite without audio — for instance, while we’re commuting, or sitting in an open office — the game displays an on-screen indicator showing the direction and intensity of footsteps and gunfire. This was instrumental in allowing me to get a kill within the opening minutes of my first mobile match.

Epic Games via Polygon

I followed the on-screen footstep displays into a home that another player was looting. As I entered the building, he appeared out of a side room. I quickly lined up my crosshairs, tapped the screen a few times and took them out. The combat experience felt natural; I wasn’t fighting with the controls.

I’m spotting more and more of these intuitive tweaks. For example, the game switched to the first-person perspective as I backed into a wall, removing my character from sight to free up more screen space.

While I am one of the few people who have access to this game in its current state, Epic will be inviting more players in waves. It’ll be interesting to see what stories emerge as more people get their hands on this version.

For all of the latest news, updates and more about this game, visit our Fortnite Battle Royale hub.