If you’re seeing #ThankYouEpicGames trend on Twitter, you may be wondering why that and #RIPFortnite is trending. For those that may not know, Fortnite truly changed the name of the game when it came to Battle Royale. Sure, there were games in this genre before it, including PUBG, but none quite made the impact that Fortnite did. From its wacky design and constant rotation of events, Fortnite quickly became the biggest and most successful of the BR franchises but what goes up can’t stay up and more and more critique crested into the #RIPFortnite tag. But not all are craving to see the death of things just to watch them die and other gamers came forward to combat that negativity with the #ThankYouEpicGames movement.
Despite Warzone, despite Black Ops, despite all of it Fortnite has retained its top spot in terms of concurrent players and Twitch views. More and more modes are being added, crazier and crazier mashups are becoming available for players to enjoy, and even still the “people still play this” people come out in droves. Despite the post-black hole hate for Fortnite, the game thrives and if what Todd McFarland had to say is true, it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
While some are claiming the game is dead, others are coming forward to say that they appreciate everything Fortnite has given the community in a show of support:
#ThankYouEpicGames for creating Fortnite Battle Royale. What an incredible journey the last 2.5 years has been 🙌
Now, it’s time to get ready for Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3… 👀 pic.twitter.com/ROCaE1GwQs pic.twitter.com/piyzg4Fcza
— ZYNX – fortnite leaks and news (@Ayden24492758) April 12, 2020
#ThankYouEpicGames for incredible live events like these pic.twitter.com/KIv8vaqHWl
— M Є W Z Є (@NameIsSatire) April 12, 2020
Me seeing #ThankYouEpicGames trending pic.twitter.com/29SHbTN1rn
— Oh ⁿᵒ no (@Ytriyumm) April 12, 2020
#ThankYouEpicGames for giving me the biggest laughs i’ve ever had pic.twitter.com/MGGdwE5cYg
— Kayrical (@kayrical) April 12, 2020
#ThankYouEpicGames for all the fun I’ve had. All the friends I’ve made. All the memories I now have. Thank you for everything. You have made one of the most influential and best games to exist. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/r8g4m5RwKJ
— RetroRewind 🌌⏪ (@ThatRetroFellow) April 12, 2020
#ThankYouEpicGames for creating this gem of an event and everyting else you have done for Fortnite 🙂 pic.twitter.com/7BBPxWNSk8
— GioGio (@IGioGioI) April 12, 2020
The montages of videos, photos, and cosplay continue to pour in to show support following the RIPFortnite tag. Here’s the thing: you can like something, you can criticize something, you can hope it becomes better, but this trend of “huehueD3ad g4me” needs to stop. There is so much work that goes into these experiences, too much work, and online games like this require constant support from a team that is dedicated and is passionate about what they create.
It’s not a drop and done motion, it takes real dedication, so this continued popularity of declaring games dead – despite that if this truly happened that would rob many gamers of a game they enjoy while displacing many talented developers in a place of sudden unemployment – is juvenile, it’s disgusting, and it accomplishes nothing. Give feedback, give criticisms, offer solutions, take a moment to learn the trade, but death threats, jokes about job loss, and overall bullying for the sake of looking edgy? Nah, son, it’s done.
Though Fortnite is not my particular cup of tea, I hope that this game continues to shatter expectations and thrive because sometimes games don’t have to be the grandest, biggest, most “bestest of the best” of all – sometimes they can just be a fun experience and that’s what Fortnite offers. So yes, thank you, Epic Games, and don’t let the negativity get you down. Take the constructive feedback and leave the hate to rot.
