Move over 50 vs 50 and Solid Gold, the most eagerly anticipated new limited time event in Fortnite is unquestionably the missing-in-action Playground mode!
Fortnite’s Playground LTM was supposed to drop this morning allowing teams of four players to fully explore the map with no shrinking storm, friendly fire turn on, and infinite respawns over the course of a full hour. Here’s what Epic said were supposed to get:
Train, explore, battle! Show us your creativity in the new Playground LTM as you drop onto the island with up to 3 friends.
Except not so much, as the mode disappeared almost immediately after coming online with the 4.5 update. Where is Playground mode?
Final Fight is cool and all, but there seems to be a missing mode here…
When Will Playground Limited Time Mode Appear?
It would appear that this smaller grouped matchmaking broke the game, as queue times skyrocketed and no one could get in to play at all. It isn’t clear if this was a bug in the code or just an issue with far too many players trying to get into a match with far fewer available slots.
To their credit, Epic was quick about acknowledging the problem and letting people know Playground would be taken offline due to the matchmaking problems.
Earlier this afternoon an update arrived via Twitter indicated the problem is nearly resolved, but there’s no ETA yet on when it will be officially re-instated.
Since this was the biggest addition of the 4.5 update patch, expect it to drop tonight or tomorrow morning when Week 9 of Season 4 gets into full swing. If you see it come online be sure to let us know so we can update this article!
Why Is Playground Limited Time?
While everyone waits with baited breath for the Playground mode to be re-enabled, there’s a big question on all our minds — why not have this be a permanent feature?
A clear answer hasn’t come from Epic yet as to why the Playground mode is listed as limited time, since this seems like something that would be useful for everyone, all the time. Who doesn’t want to learn how to play better without having to re-load and and wait to join another match after dying? This seems like a win-win for players, who can improve their Fortnite skills and have more fun doing it.
The only downside there is that players might quit going into the competitive modes if they can instead have more fun infinitely blowing each other without having to return to the lobby.
Clearly, that might put a damper on solo, duos, and squads mode and lead to less money for Epic as fewer people buy the battle pass content. That little kink in the works may explain why Playground is limited to four players and will only exist for a limited time.
For a glimpse of what’s in store when it finally comes back online, check out the trailer below.
Are you stoked for to try out Playground mode, and what weapon or skill are you looking to improve on in Fortnite? Sound off in the comments section below!
Haven’t finished the Season 4, Week 9 challenges yet or still looking for other Fortnite guides at GameSkinny? Check out the latest below:
- Dual Pistols guide and Shotgun Nerfs
- Where to Search for Hungry Gnomes
- Challenge Guide: Search Chests in Salty Springs
- Battle Star Guide: Search Between a Bear, Crater, and a Refrigerator Shipment
- Map Guide: Search Chests in Risky Reels
- Challenge Guide: Score a Goal on Different Pitches
- Battle Star Guide: Follow the Treasure Map Found in Pleasant Park
- How to Log Out of Fortnite on the Switch
