Fortnite’s second season could be adding test servers so players can try out patches before they experience a wide release, judging by a new game option in the Epic Games launcher.
Since Fortnite Chapter 2 was released back in October of 2019, developers Epic Games have been criticized for no longer releasing exhaustive patch notes. While complete patch notes were provided throughout Fortnite’s first chapter, Epic have not released them for some time.
It is thought to have been prompted by players refusing to play if they see a change they do not agree with, but the developers have been tight-lipped about the reasons for the change.
Regardless, it looks like players are heavily in favor of test servers, which would provide them with the chance to try out new additions before they make their way into the full game.
A tweet from British professional player Benjamin ‘benjyfishy’ Fish showed a new game option alongside regular Fortnite called ‘FortnitePublicTest’.
This quickly stirred some excitement in the community, as players interpreted it as the upcoming implementation of test servers, similar to games like Rainbow Six: Siege, PUBG and Overwatch.
this is for people playing at dreamhack anaheim it seems like!
— benjyfishy (@benjyfishy) February 15, 2020
Test servers essentially enable developers to use a wider player base to test their changes, as well as get a better idea of the community’s consensus on larger patches, before rolling out to the main game.
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However, community spirits were dampened as the pro player suggested that the test server might only be available to players attending DreamHack Anaheim, who will be playing on a slightly different build of the game.
This didn’t stop players expressing their desires for a test server, however. One fan described Epic as “teases” for naming the file the way they did, while another said that Epic “need” to bring one out to help players prepare for tournaments.
https://twitter.com/BIuWasTaken/status/1228505304347955205?s=20
While it’s not clear whether there are plans for a public test server in Fortnite Chapter 2, the incident has shown that there is definitely an appetite for it.
The season 2 update is set to release on February 20, so we might know more then.
Over to you, Epic.