Fortnite Project Nova fuels nostalgia, brings 2017 battle royale back

July 2024 · 3 minute read

Bursting at the seams with collaborative content and packed to the brim with interesting features and mechanics, it’s safe to say that Epic Games’ free battle royale game Fortnite isn’t the same shooter it was when the developer first launched it – but, there’s a way you can turn back time and return to this BR’s origins with Fortnite Project Nova. If you’re wondering what this is, and how you too can play the original Fortnite in 2023 – a feat we didn’t think possible, keep reading.

With a healthy selection of in-game weapons, a backlog of LTMs to dive into, and some truly incredible player-made experiences in Fortnite Creative, it feels as though there has never been a more exciting time to jump into Fortnite. However, if you’re looking for a more grounded Fortnite experience – a no-frills battle royale builder – you’re out of luck. Well, you were out of luck, anyway. Fortnite Project Nova is a fan-made mod and multiplater server that’ll let you play Fortnite Chapter 1.

When we talk about playing Fortnite Project Nova to experience Chapter 1 again, we mean it. When you dive into a game of Fortnite Project Nova, you’ll be met with the original Battle Bus, the first iteration of Fortnite Island, and a healthy selection of the battle royale’s original weapons.

Oh, and you’ll also be able to choose any skin you want – so, if there’s a rare one you feel like you missed out on, now’s your chance.

We know this is all sounding a little too good to be true, but there is a catch: installing and accessing Fortnite Project Nova isn’t as simple as it could be. You’re going to need to join the Fortnite Project Nova Discord server, for one, and then follow quite a few steps to download, install, and launch Project Nova itself.

We can imagine you can ask people on the Discord server for a helping hand, and there’s an FAQ section. But, you can also check out the video below for a helpful how-to.

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Once you’ve worked through all of these steps, all you need to do is keep a keen eye on the Discord server. Fortnite Project Nova doesn’t support “member hosting” at the moment, but that could change in the future. It’s also worth noting that this still supports controllers – so, don’t worry about being forced into using a mouse and keyboard.

We know Fortnite is one of the best battle royale shooters out there right now, but it’s certainly changed a lot over the years. If you’re bored of trying to work out the best Fortnite landing spots for this season’s map, this could be a great way to get your Fortnite fix with something fresh.

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