Fortnite fans are consumed by the prospect of a meteorite or comet crashing down onto the map sometime today. While we're still not sure if that's actually going to happen, we've compiled four crazy theories about it to read while you wait.
Speculation about the comet began in late March, when data miners uncovered files related to the suspicious object. Preempted by the addition of telescopes around Tilted Towers, speculation suggested the map's most divisive spot may be the site of a major crash. With that in mind, let's get to the theories.
1) The Morse Code Theory: If you're wondering why so many people predict Fortnite's meteor may land today, it's because of this Morse Code theory developed by vigilancefoetracer on the Battle Royale subreddit. This fan took note of random controller vibrations they had been experiencing and transcribed the sequence into Morse code with the following results: ... --- ... / -.. / ..... / ....- .---- ---.. In plain English, that translates to "SOS D 5 418."
When the meteor failed to make its debut on April 1, 2018, fan speculation shifted to April 18. As for D5, those are the map coordinates for Tilted Towers. This lone theory is the entire basis behind hopes of an announcement later today.
2) The ZZT Theory: Beyond Fortnite, Epic has a long history with comets and meteors. In 1991, Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney created the game ZZT, which shows a meteor crashing into a city in its opening moments.
The theory gets even stranger when the Battle Royale map is layered on top of a map of Poland. The D5 area where Tilted Towers would otherwise be lines up perfectly with Poznan, the site of the Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve. This special location is home to seven crates where meteors have struck, and it's not far from Epic's former Polish studio.
3) More Meteors On The Way: Beyond meteorites, fan attention has recently shifted to shooting stars. After all, scientifically speaking, shooting stars are fragments left behind by meteors. Considering the Battle Royale sky has been full stars lately, some fans feel Tilted Towers may not be the only location to be struck by a massive rock.
In short, shooting stars means more meteors might be up there in the Fortnite skies. The April 18 one aimed at Tilted Towers might mark the start of a much larger trend.
4) Not A Meteor At All: While file naming suggests we're looking at some kind of comet or meteor, a few Fortnite fans still aren't buying the hype. Instead of a meteor, what if the large, egg-shaped object is actually an alien spaceship? Considering the game's Save The World campaign is full of alien creatures, that doesn't sound like too much of a stretch.
In fact, we're willing to take things one step further to suggest Battle Royale might be a canonical prequel to the terrifying events of Save The World. If aliens are getting ready to invade, maybe the popular free mode will be changed for good. With content Season 4 on the horizon, the door is wide open for major happenings in the days ahead.
Those are the four most popular theories regarding Fortnite's mysterious meteorite. Only time will tell if it actually lands on April 18, but, with a new content update likely due Thursday, it's possible its arrival may be at least a day late.
Fortnite is in early access across PS4, Xbox One and PC.
What are your thoughts on the Fortnite comet? Are there any theories we're missing? Tell us in the comments section!
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Christopher Groux is a Gaming and TV reporter with bylines at Newsweek, Player.One, iDigitalTimes, IBTimes, QJ.Net and more. Now, his primary ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
