<P> Fortnite is set in contemporary Earth , where the sudden appearance of a worldwide storm causes 98 % of the world 's population to disappear , and zombie - like creatures rise to attack the remainder . Considered by Epic as a cross between Minecraft and Left 4 Dead , Fortnite has up to four players cooperating on various missions on randomly - generated maps to collect resources , build fortifications around defensive objectives that are meant to help fight the storm and protect survivors , and construct weapons and traps to engage in combat with waves of these creatures that attempt to destroy the objectives . Players gain rewards through these missions to improve their hero characters , support teams , and arsenal of weapon and trap schematics to be able to take on more difficult missions . The game is supported through microtransactions to purchase in - game currency that can be used towards these upgrades . </P>
where did the idea of fortnite come from
as a cross between Minecraft and Left 4 Dead