Five reasons why Apex Legends is better than Fortnite

Fortnite has reigned supreme as the leader of the battle royale genre. Since its release, though, Apex Legends has emerged as a serious challenger.

Apex Legends launched in February 2019, scoring 25 million players in its first week and 50 million players in its first month. Apex is perhaps the first game to truly match and potentially surpass Fortnite as the new top dog of the battle royale genre. Here are five reasons why Apex Legends is a better experience than Fortnite.

Apex doesn’t have a building system.

Fortnite’s building system set it apart from other games of the genre. Building is an integral part of the game, meaning bad builders are at a disadvantage. Running out of supplies to build walls when in the middle of a firefight can be frustrating. Apex Legends doesn’t have building and the problems that come with it. Its uniqueness comes from a diverse set of ability-focused Legends. Unique characters beats out a unique building mechanic.

Every character isn’t a blank slate.

In Fortnite, every character is essentially the same, just garbed in different skins and wielding different pickaxes. It can make matches feel quite similar. In Apex Legends, however, every Legend is a unique individual with their own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. It adds more strategy and makes you consider your tactics. Lifeline can’t run in and solo Gibraltar and Wraith. In Fortnite, it comes down to what gun you’re holding. There’s a lot more depth to battles in Apex.

You get a second chance at the fight.

In both games, getting to zero health puts you in a weakened state where you struggle across the ground hoping for a teammate to pick you back up. In Fortnite, when you’re taken out in this state, you die. That’s it, game over. In Apex Legends, if your squad doesn’t make it in time, they can pick up your banner and bring you back to life at a respawn beacon. That second chance means a lot in the brutal battles you get into. It also adds another layer to gameplay that Fortnite lacks.

The ping system is a game changer.

The worst teams are those who don’t communicate. In Fortnite, no mic means no chat. But Apex Legends includes a ping system that lets you communicate without needing a mic (although mics are a benefit, so please use them). You can ping item locations, spotted enemies, ultimate status, and more. Frankly, the ping system is so good that I hope it becomes a standard for multiplayer shooters going forward. It alleviates so much frustration that Fortnite doesn’t.

Apex has better character customization.

Apex could be a little more adventurous with its skins, but what skins there are right now already beat out Fortnite in quality. On top of that, Apex Legends has such a plethora of customization options, letting you give your favorite Legend their own flavor. That includes taunts, opening intros, and victory animations. It’s a lot like Overwatch in that respect, which is awesome. Fortnite does have a bunch of dances, but I’ve seen enough kids showing off their moves to be over it.