Dance Parties and Tears in the Sky: Tales From the Fortnite Missile Launch

A few weeks ago I finally gave in and tried out Fortnite. Unfortunately for me, it turns out the game is as highly addictive as I had heard, and my initial plan to check in every now and then has led to about 30 hours of battle royales (and 5 very awesome Victory Royales) over the past 3 weeks.

One of my favorite places on the map has been the super-villain lair/missile silo located inside of a mountain to the northeast of Snobby Shores. With plenty of solid loot, tons of weird things to discover, and sparse attendance by other competitors, it has proven itself to be a fantastic landing destination. Starting yesterday, all TVs in the game began a countdown to 1:30 pm EST when the missiles would launch, so I decided to go watch the fireworks happen. Here’s what I saw.

Stage 1: People Excitedly Waiting, Dancing, and Not Killing Each Other

This was by far the most amusing landing to witness as almost everyone seemed to be headed toward the lair with 4 minutes to go until the countdown was over. There were a few people who were skeptical that we could watch the event in harmony and some minor pickaxe swings were thrown. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and worries were squashed thanks to the international language known as the dance-off that proved our friendly intentions.

Stage 2: The Launch!

I grabbed a spot on a ramp structure I had built with another player and watched the rocket fly high into the sky. I was a little surprised but pleased that it didn’t burn everyone up who was on the mountain. At first I was a little disappointed until I realized we had only just begun.

Stage 3: Oh Dear God, It’s Going to Kill Us All

Suddenly, a bright light appeared up in the sky and several red lasers converged down on the ground from it giving Independence Day flashbacks. Then a loud bang was heard in the distance (supposedly it hit a shield or something over Tilted Towers) and the missile flew wildly through the horizon until it disappeared into some sort of strange portal.

Stage 4: The Sky Tear

Lightning could be seen from beyond the mountains, and the missile abruptly reappeared and finished its journey through space and time by tearing a magnificent hole in the sky.

Stage 5: Run Like Hell

A few seconds after the sky tear was formed, a sudden realization swept through the crowd of spectators- the event was over. Bullets began frantically flying everywhere, and it became abundantly clear that it was time for me to haul ass down the side of the mountain. While I didn’t manage to score another victory royale, I gladly took my 5th place finish, which I’m quite proud of considering I didn’t even find my first weapon until only 20 combatants were left. The missile launch was a great way to learn about the Fortnite community, and I can’t wait to see what new mysteries unfold next.