Fortnite Was Almost Cancelled By Epic Games (VIDEO)
Offering a solid shooter experience as well as continuous content updates, Fortnite is widely considered one of the most successful games in modern times. The title’s large-scale prominence has led to official collaborations with Marvel Studios’ Avengers as well as the Keanu Reeves-led John Wick franchise, but it appears the battle royale game wasn’t always seen as the money-maker it is today.
According to former Epic production director Rod Fergusson, Fortnite was actually almost cancelled during early days of the project. Speaking with Game Informer, Fergusson admitted that while he respects the heights Fortnite has achieved, he wasn’t too enthused by the game’s challenge-ridden production or the Save the World campaign. Seeing the project as a potential waste of resources, Fergusson described his attempts to cancel Fortnite just months before it would hit big with its popular Battle Royale mode.
“Fortnite, when it was Save the World, [was a] project that just had some challenges.” Fergusson explained in the video above. “As director of production at the time, that game would not have passed my bar for something we should continue to keep going.” When asked whether he feels bad about not being part of Fortnite’s success, he laughingly concludes that fans are ultimately the ones that should feel fortunate, saying, “that game you love that’s a worldwide sensation would not exist had I stayed at Epic.”
Rod Fergusson moving on to head studio The Coalition may have truly been the best for everyone, as Fortnite was able to grow into a worldwide phenomenon and Fergusson was open to oversee a solid line-up of new entries in a newly Microsoft-led Gears of War series. Following 2016’s Gears of War 4, a fifth main entry is on its way with Gears 5 alongside a turn-based spin-off called Gears Tactics.
Fortnite is out now for Android, iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
What do you think? Are you glad Fortnite wasn’t left on the cutting room floor, or will you forever wonder what a Fergusson-approved version of Fortnite would be like? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
