In 2024, ‘Fortnite’s battle royale mode has become a massive success, overshadowing the game’s initial launch without it. However, the former boss of Epic Games, Donald Mustard, recently disclosed that the concept for this popular mode was developed during a car ride en route to a meeting.
After 15 years with Epic, Mustard announced his departure to pursue new ventures. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in transforming ‘Fortnite’ into one of the most renowned games globally, introducing numerous crossover characters and celebrities into its metaverse.
In an interview, Mustard revealed insights into securing collaborations with iconic figures such as Batman, John Wick, and Superman. He also discussed the challenges of balancing growth with the execution of significant events. Notably, he shed light on the decision to incorporate a battle royale mode into the survival shooter.
In 2016, Mustard became Epic’s chief creative officer. At that time, the company faced a period of uncertainty due to the announcement of ‘Paragon’ and ‘Fortnite’ before going quiet. The need for a shake-up became evident.
According to Mustard, the rise of battle royale games in ‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ (PUBG) caught his attention. Around 2017, PUBG’s 100-player matches gained significant popularity. Mustard recognized this as a unique approach to engaging a large number of players.
Just before ‘Fortnite’s official launch, during a car ride in mid-2017, Mustard and other Epic executives decided to develop their own battle royale mode. The decision was made with Tim Sweeney, Paul Meegan (then Epic’s president), and Kim Libreri (Epic’s CTO) present.
Mustard highlighted the urgent need for a design document within “like, three hours.” In the back of the Uber, he drafted a one-page document outlining the concept of ‘Fortnite’s’ Battle Royale.
During the car ride, a school bus passing by inspired Mustard. He proposed that players enter the game via a bus in the sky and jump out of it. This concept later became a central element of the Battle Royale mode.
‘Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode was launched in 2017 and has since become a dominant force in the gaming landscape.
Mustard addressed criticism that ‘Fortnite’ was exploiting the battle royale genre as a gimmick. He emphasized that all video games draw inspiration from one another and viewed the mode as a natural evolution of ‘Fortnite’.
