By: Ramzi Maducdoc

          Since its inception in 2015, the battle royale genre of video games has seen a meteoric rise. Its influence now is more prevalent than ever with games such as PUBG (Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds) and Fortnite: Battle Royale.

          PUBG was released for early access on PC March of 2017, and for the majority of the year it was the premier battle royale game. It was not until September later that year when PUBG received its major competitor, Fortnite.

          Since September, Fortnite has grown steadily and has surpassed PUBG in terms of player base and popularity, with its influence present across all major platforms, whereas PUBG is only impactful on the PC market.

          An exclusive Xbox One version of PUBG was released on December 20 last year, but it has been scrutinized for its poor performance and bad quality in comparison to the highly praised PC version.

          Nevertheless, these games are now the clear frontrunner in the wildly popular battle royale genre, far surpassing the original standalone battle royale game, 2015’s H1Z1.

          Fans of the genre have debated which one is the superior game, which has caused great debates within the community.

          In terms of simplicity of game mechanics, Fornite is far superior. In my experience of playing both, I found Fortnite the easier game to pick up and play.

          Fortnite is very simplistic in terms of loot. Shield potions provide players with more resistance to damage, weapons have tiers which can be easily differentiated, and utility such as grenades and other unique gadgets are fun and straightforward in terms of complexity.

          PUBG on the other hand, has a great variety of weapons, utility, and at times a dauntingly complex loot system, which can confuse many players at first.

          The game takes a very realistic and robust approach on the battle royale genre. The graphics are excellent and gameplay remains true through the intense combat. At an expense, the game takes beefy hardware to run.

          Fortnite, meanwhile, takes a very casual approach to the genre with its cartoon-like graphics and colorful world. The game appeals to a much greater audience while also being an experience that all gamers can enjoy.

          In addition, Fortnite is much more fast paced compared to PUBG. The “storm” which forces players to move towards each other progresses at a faster pace in Fortnite than in PUBG.

         One advantage that PUBG has over Fortnite is its option to play in first or third person viewmodels. While Fortnite is currently only playable in third-person, PUBG allows players to switch between first person and third person game modes.

          The factor that seems to separate the two games the most are its price tags. PUBG is currently priced at $29.99 dollars on the PC and Xbox One, while Fortnite has remained a free-to-play game across PC, PS4, and Xbox One since its release.

          For its premium price tag, it would be reasonable to believe that PUBG is the superior game. In terms of value in graphics and infrastructure, that statement would be correct.

          However, better graphics do not always equate to a better game. In terms of pure fun and enjoyment, Fortnite meets and arguably surpasses PUBG.

          One factor that makes Fortnite unique is its intuitive building system, a system in which players can destroy buildings and structures for resources and use them to build cover for themselves.

          In some instances, players skilled enough can use this system to create advantages where previously there had not been one.

          Whereas in PUBG, duels are decided based on positioning and aim, Fortnite duels are decided on the same factors but with a complex mechanic adding onto positioning.

         Overall, both games are excellent representations of the genre and are incredible in their own right.