Fortnite is out on Switch! You can now play the wildly popular battle royale title in your hands but bad news for PlayStation players.
Nintendo Switch users can finally play Fortnite in their hands as Nintendo announces the battle royale game is out today after a series of rumors circulated the internet. Switch owners can download the free to play title from the Nintendo eShop. Fortnite has become a fashionable success and a trend since launch, raking in $300 million alone in April with millions of players logging in every day worldwide. Here in the UK, it’s become a hot topic during social events as “do you play Fortnite?” has become a valid conversation starter.
Fortnite landed a crossover with the equally popular Avengers: Infinity War after the directors confessed they are fans of Fortnite. Players could locate and use the infinity gauntlet to transform into Thanos himself gaining powers to ensure superiority over other players. The game continues to dominate the gaming community, surpassing its rival PUBG who recently filed a lawsuit against Epic Games for supposed plagiarization.
Along with the announcement of Fortnite on Switch, cross-play was confirmed with other platforms except for Sony who is refusing to allow players to carry over progression or play with their Nintendo buddies. What a drag, am I right? Why is Sony doing this? Well, the PS4 is the best selling next-gen console in the UK, US (although the Xbox One and Switch are rapidly catching up) and Australia, therefore, they have the power to pull a villain card and get away with it to some degree. A move like this doesn’t come without the backlash, however. Fortnite players are vocal on Twitter and Reddit where they have expressed dismay over not being able to play Fortnite on the go and continue that progression when they get home. #BlameSony on Twitter has begun:
So I can’t play Fortnite on switch because I had the audacity to link my PSN account to my Epic account? This is ridiculous… #FThePlayers #BlameSony
— Jack Murphy (@DatGuyNamedJack) June 12, 2018
I can't believe I can't login to #Fortnite on Switch because I logged in on PS4 ONE. TIME. #BlameSony. @PlayStation Fix this!
— Darren Williams (@TheParadisiac) June 12, 2018
"4 the players" my ass. Quit holding my Epic Games account hostage and then you can talk that shit. @Sony #BlameSony @EpicGames
— Sarah (@Sarah30596753) June 12, 2018
Banning crossplay is nothing new for Sony; Minecraft and ARK have received the same treatment but the difference with Fortnite that if you have linked your PSN account with Epic Games you will not be able to play on Switch, regardless of whether you’re a regular PS4 player. The decision is most likely to be purely corporate or perhaps it traces back to the former partnership with Nintendo. Sony has not given a statement as of yet.
Fortnite is out now on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and (soon) Android.