It’s been a pretty long offseason but nothing we haven’t experienced before.
As we move into the first quarter of 2021, Epic Games is ramping up for another year of action-packed competition.
In what’s considered the first big communication from Epic to their customers, we learned not only the key details of this season of FNCS but also a better roadmap for the entire 2021 year.
Here’s what we know:
FNCS Season 5 (Trios)
Season 5 of the Fortnite Championship Series will boast a $3,000,000 prize pool — just 15% of the yearly allotment. As usual, the prize will be split based on player population between the seven servers.
Here’s the tentative schedule for when you’ll be competing:
Qualifier 1: February 4-7
Qualifier 2: February 11-14
Qualifier 3: February 18-21
Bye Week: February 25-28
Semi-Finals: March 5-7
Reboot Round: March 12 & 13
Finals: March 12-14
There hasn’t been an announcement yet as to how the prizes will be distributed.
Some years, prizes are more top-heavy, meaning that more money goes to the elite and less to semi-pros. FNCS usually offers a modest amount to many placements — something to look out for in the future.
Console Track
This year, there will be no separate console and mobile tracks for players to compete in. Consolidating the player base will also do as such to the prize pool and offer bigger ticket prizes to the highest levels of talent.
Players who were affected by this update didn’t take kindly to Fortnite’s newest move. So much so, that now there is a petition floating around to get Epic Games to revert this decision.
Unfortunately, it seems as though this decision is final and console players will have to suit up against some real competition this year.
Your free lunch is coming to a close, bots (kidding, kidding).
Year’s Outlook
Fortnite made a point to emphasize consistency for the year 2021. Last year, players were largely left in the dark on key times, dates, and formats necessary for practice and logistical planning.
On top of the twists and turns that 2020 already offered, Epic’s lack of communication didn’t help. This year, they’re making the right first steps to become a consistent and respected Esports provider.
With a fresh commitment from Epic Games to provide a competitive format with $20,000,000 to burn through, now’s the best time to prepare. If you want to get to the next level quicker, consider booking a coach with some of the best players in the game at GamersRdy.
