Fortnite: Save the World first came out on July 25, 2017. This original PvE (player versus environment) mode of Fortnite launched as a paid early-access title where players team up to fight off zombie-like creatures and defend forts. It predates the massively popular Battle Royale mode, offering a glimpse into Fortnite’s beginnings. Below, we’ll dive into what Save the World is, how it started, and why it remains a key part of Fortnite’s history for many fans.
What is Fortnite: Save the World?#
Fortnite: Save the World is the original co-op campaign mode of Fortnite. Unlike the competitive Battle Royale, Save the World is a story-driven, team-based game mode where 1-4 players work together against AI enemies. Players build forts, craft weapons, set traps, and fend off waves of monsters called Husks in defense of objectives. The mode features missions across different zones, a progression system for heroes and weapons, and a lighthearted narrative about survivors fighting back after a mysterious storm. In short, Save the World is Fortnite’s PvE adventure, blending third-person shooting with tower-defense style base building.
Fortnite Save the World Release Date and Launch#
Fortnite: Save the World officially launched on July 25, 2017. It was initially released in a paid “Early Access” phase – players had to purchase a Founder’s Pack (around $40 for the Standard edition) to play. Those who pre-ordered even got a head-start access on July 21, 2017, but July 25, 2017 is recognized as the public release date when the game became available to everyone who bought a pack. At launch, Save the World was the only Fortnite mode, simply known as Fortnite. Early players jumped in to scavenge resources, build home bases, and complete co-op missions. While the PvE mode gained a modest following, it didn’t explode in popularity at first, and that would soon change with the introduction of another mode.
Battle Royale’s Impact: Just two months later, in September 2017, Epic Games added the separate Fortnite Battle Royale mode, which was free-to-play. This move changed the course of Fortnite’s history. The Battle Royale mode’s instant popularity far eclipsed Save the World’s player base. In fact, Fortnite’s identity in popular culture shifted to the Battle Royale, leaving Save the World as the “original mode” enjoyed by a niche but dedicated community. Epic soon rebranded the PvE campaign distinctly as “Save the World” (to differentiate it from Battle Royale).
How Save the World Began (Origins and Development)#
The concept for Fortnite: Save the World actually dates back to 2011. Epic Games prototyped the idea during an internal game jam after finishing Gears of War 3. The developers wanted to blend building elements (inspired by games like Minecraft) with action-shooter gameplay, which was a novel combination at the time. This led to the foundation of Fortnite as a cooperative survival game where players construct forts by day and survive monster attacks by night.
Development wasn’t smooth sailing. The team switched from Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine 4 mid-development and shifted the art style from dark and gritty to a more colorful, cartoonish look. Epic also embraced a “games-as-a-service” approach, planning to keep updating Fortnite over time. The long development cycle meant that by the time Save the World was ready to launch in 2017, the gaming landscape had evolved, and fate would have Fortnite take a very different turn shortly after release.
Save the World’s Significance in Fortnite History#
Though overshadowed by Fortnite Battle Royale, Save the World holds a special place in Fortnite’s history. It laid the gameplay foundation for everything that came after – notably, Fortnite’s iconic building mechanics originated in Save the World. The idea of harvesting materials and constructing walls, ramps, and defenses on the fly was first introduced in this co-op mode, later becoming a defining feature of Battle Royale. Save the World also introduced Fortnite’s quirky tone, with cartoonish graphics and playful elements (like the llama loot piñatas) that carried into Battle Royale.
In the early days (mid-2017), if you bought Fortnite, you were buying Save the World. The massive success of the free Battle Royale mode, released in September 2017, meant that many players never experienced Save the World’s cooperative campaigns. However, the PvE mode “saved” Fortnite’s initial purpose – literally about saving the world from monsters – and established the PvE lore and characters that still occasionally crossover into Battle Royale (like Homebase heroes and husk-inspired cosmetics).
Epic Games eventually decided to keep Save the World as a premium experience rather than making it free-to-play. The mode remained in paid early access for nearly three years. On June 29, 2020, Epic took Save the World out of early access and declared it a full release, confirming it would remain a paid mode permanently. After that point, new content updates for Save the World slowed down, as the developers shifted focus primarily to the wildly popular Battle Royale and Creative modes.
Can You Still Play Save the World Today?#
Yes. Save the World is still playable as of today. While it may not be in the spotlight, Epic has kept the mode available for those interested in Fortnite’s original co-op adventure. It’s included as part of certain purchase bundles (for example, some starter or bundle packs in the in-game store grant access to Save the World). Unlike Fortnite Battle Royale, Save the World is not free-to-play, so you’ll need to buy a pack or have a premium access to play it.
For returning players curious about Fortnite’s PvE origins, Save the World can be a fun change of pace. You can team up with friends, build elaborate trap-filled forts, and take on hordes of husks just like players did back in 2017. Keep in mind, though, that major development on Save the World has wound down – Epic announced that there would be no new significant story content after it left early access, focusing their efforts on other Fortnite experiences. Still, the mode offers a rich array of missions, heroes, and challenges accumulated over the years. It stands as a nostalgic piece of Fortnite’s evolution and a testament to the game’s versatile beginnings.