What you need to know about Lego Fortnite if you're just starting out
The people behind it Fortnite, the popular build-and-battle-royale game, has released a new, kid-friendly version of the game: Lego Fortnite. The game uses Lego bricks and characters to give players a different kind of experience that focuses on long-term survival, crafting, building, and online collaboration with friends. It's a lot like any other survival/crafting game, Minecraftbut powered by Lego blocks and well-known characters.
Lego Fortnite was a hit from day one; Millions of players build and fight monsters together in online worlds full of characters to meet, creatures to slay, and mysteries to discover. It's also free (unlike Minecraft), and co-developers Epic Games and The Lego Group have done everything they can to ensure that children can enjoy it safely.
Here's a quick overview of what Lego Fortnite is, where you can download it, and everything else you need to know Fortnite's popular new spin-off.
What is Lego Fortnite?
While the popular version of Fortnite is a battle royale game in which players fight each other to be the last player standing, Lego Fortnite is not a shooter or battle royale at all. It is a game in which you explore, build with Lego blocks and create objects (such as pickaxes and torches).
In Survival mode, players take on the role of a small Lego hero character. They collect resources, build structures, tools and weapons and explore a huge open world. They will also interact with other Lego characters who will join their group and help them with missions. There is also some combat, but that is mainly against Lego versions of skeletons, wolves, spiders and other beasts. This mode is called Survival because players must collect and craft what they need: food to satisfy hunger, wood to build structures and craft tools, and other elements to create more complex items.
There's also a non-violent Sandbox mode, where players can simply build whatever they want with Lego bricks, allowing them to get creative and explore the world freely.
How to download Lego Fortnite
Playing and downloading Lego Fortnite is free. You'll need an Epic Games account to play, which is also free. All you have to do is download the main version Fortnite game client and you'll find Lego Fortnite on the main screen of a menu that resembles a Netflix library screen.
You can download on game consoles such as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series Fortnite by searching each platform's store, or using the links below from a web browser:
Please note that if you find and download Lego Fortnite from any of the online stores above, you are actually downloading the full version Fortnite game client, with which you can play Lego Fortnite. Confusing, yes, but at least everything is centralized.
How to get and activate an Epic Games account
To play Lego Fortnite (or another game). Fortnite game), you need an Epic Games account. You can register for this with an email address on the Epic Games websiteuse an existing login from Apple, Facebook, Lego.com or Google, or log in with an existing account from Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox or Steam.
You can also create a version of that account called a Cut bill, intended for children aged 13 or younger. Players with a Cabined Account can play Lego Fortnite, but cannot access features such as voice chat or in-game purchases with money until their parent or guardian gives permission. You can read more about it parental controls Fortnite games on Epic's website.
How V-Bucks work with Lego Fortnite (and how to redeem them)
Epic Games' virtual currency for Fortniteknown as V-Bucks, works in the core version of Fortnite and new experiences such as Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing and Fortnite Festival. V-Bucks can be spent on in-game items such as outfits and other virtual items.
V-Bucks can be purchased inside Fortnite and through gift vouchers. You can redeem V-Bucks gift cards at the official Fortnite website.
If you (or your child) have spent V-Bucks Fortnite Battle Royale, most of the cosmetics in that game carry over to Lego Fortnite. There are some exceptions, such as characters in Fortnite which have weapons as part of their design, but many cosmetics are tied to a core Fortnite account can be used for all games.
Lego Fortnite multiplayer and play with friends
You can play Lego Fortnite online with friends. Up to eight players can play together in the same game world.
But you can't (yet) play Lego Fortnite in split-screen mode on the same platform. If you have multiple children playing Lego Fortnite, they will all need their own console, tablet or PC to play. Lego Fortnite supports cross-play across all platforms, so players on Switch, for example, can play with their friends on PlayStation 5, Android, PC and anywhere else Fortnite is available.
Do you need a separate online subscription to play Lego Fortnite?
Lego Fortnite, just like others Fortnite games, does not require an online subscription such as Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold/Xbox Game Pass to play.
Manuals for Lego Fortnite
Lego Fortnite is new, but already quite big. Here's how to get started, with some answers to a few tough questions: