Fortnite’s new Ballistic mode turns it into a 5v5 tactical FPS

thesixthaxis.com:

I don’t think anyone would have had Fortnite turning into a 5v5 FPS on their 2024 bingo cards, but here we are, as Epic has revealed Fortnite’s new Ballistic mode, launching on 11th December across all platforms, but with an Early Access label on it.

Fortnite Ballistic is a 5v5 round-based competitive shooter, looking to take a bite out of Counter-Strike’s cake. The two teams will take turns attacking and defending, with the attackers aiming to plant a reality-tearing Rift Point Device at one of two sites on the map, while defenders try to prevent this or defuse it before it can go off. Of course, you’ll also be able to win a round by taking out the whole opposing team.

The game is first to win 7 rounds, with attackers and defenders set in their role for 6 rounds before switching. Players will start off with a Ranger Pistol and 800 credits to spend on weapons, shields and gear between rounds, earning credits from scoring eliminations and planting the RPD.

So yeah, it’s Counter-Strike or what Call of Duty calls Search and Destroy, and a real staple of the FPS genre as a whole. Both unranked and ranked queues will be available.

To start off, there will be a single map, Skyline 10, and a starting set of weapons and items. This is a starting point that Epic will look to build on, taking feedback to adjust the current offering and shape what is developed next.

Ballistic is a huge shift away from the bread and butter of Fortnite Battle Royale, with its third person view and building, though Fortnite has morphed over the last couple years into a sprawl of multiple game modes, collaborative franchises and IP, and user generated content. Within that space, Epic and their partners are able to bring new game modes and themes as part of the company’s long-term goal of building out a metaverse of online gaming – since last December, there’s been Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival.

We’ve seen a similar shift back toward more traditional competitive shooters from