Fortnite’s “Solo Showdown” mode offers huge prizes and stressful gameplay

Fortnite Battle Royale as released a limited-time game mode called Solo Showdown.
Fortnite Battle Royale as released a limited-time game mode called Solo Showdown.
Image: Epic Games
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Fortnite Battle Royale’s newest game mode is called “Solo Showdown,” and it’s not for the casual player.

Released yesterday (May 17), “Solo Showdown” is a competitive free-for-all event lasting until May 21 that will rank the top players from 1st place to 100th. According to Epic Games’ announcement, ”top performers will be rewarded at the conclusion of this competition” with free V-Bucks, the internal currency of Fortnite. The top prize is 50,000 V-Bucks, which is worth around $500.

The full set of rules for the mode can be found here, but the most important one to note is that players are ranked by their first 50 games in “Solo Showdown,” and must play 50 games in the mode to be eligible for prizes.

How many V-Bucks can you win by ranking in “Solo Showdown”?

Here’s how the prize tier will divvy up V-Bucks to top-ranking players at the close of “Solo Showdown:”

1st place: 50,000 V-Bucks

2nd—4th place: 25,000 V-Bucks

5th—50th place: 13,500 V-Bucks

51st—100th place: 7,500 V-Bucks

Competitive mode means competitive gameplay

Before you start listing all the ways you’ll spend those free V-Bucks, be prepared the face some serious competition. Highly-skilled Fortnite players suddenly have the opportunity to prove their worth, and the gameplay has been noticeably intense thus far. Anticipate far-range sniper shots and creative attacks with gravity crystals, as well as M.C. Escher-style building wars in the final circles. Time to sharpen up those gun-swapping reflexes.