Who are the Imagined Order in Fortnite? If you’re a more recent player, then Fortnite lore might seem like its limited to kidnapped bananas and a villain showing up then dying each season. But in the first three Chapters of the game, it was a lot more involved. With various factions vying for control of the Zero Point and the Loop. The Imagined Order was the biggest villain we’d seen in Fortnite. And probably won’t be topped.
This group was responsible for keeping the loop running. Which in gameplay terms, is the core of Fortnite. It’s the gameplay loop. Creatively, the pattern of dropping in and looting every game just to reset has been made key for Fortnite’s story.
While the early days took their cues from Save the World, Battle Royale eventually developed its own full story. But if you missed out one of the early Fortnite seasons, you might wonder who are the Imagined Order in Fortnite? These are the key details on this faction from Fortnite’s story:
Who are the Imagined Order in Fortnite?
They were the primary villainous faction in Fortnite. In direct opposition to the Seven. This group were the people who were maintaining the loop, keeping players trapped in it. Their name came from their goal, to keep order. They used the Zero Point to do so. They became a bigger part of the game in Chapter 2, but their role in the game’s background has been around since the beginning.
The IO’s Role in Fortnite Lore
The IO’s involvement in Fortnite’s world began before the seasons did. In the game’s backstory, Geno was the discoverer of the Zero Point. He then began to use it to see different realities, briefly being the Ageless we saw in Chapter 4. Later, he founded the IO to try and create the perfect civilization. They set up the Fortnite world to try and establish this, experimenting with the Zero Point.
Once they figure out the Zero Point can take them to different realities, they begin to use it to bring people to the Fortnite World and trap them in the loop. The Fortnite gameplay of eternally killing each other apparently being their research. They first appeared in person is Fortnite Season 5, apparently through the rifts that opened. They also had an ice bunker in Season 7 of Chapter 1, teasing their role behind Fortnite’s story. That’s when we first started to learn who are the Imagined Order in Fortnite.
Later in Chapter 1, the Seven use to the Zero Point to move into Chapter 2, where the IO are a much bigger presence of the island. They tried to re-establish the loop at the end of Season 2, after Midas’ device damaged it. In Season 5, they send Agent Jones into the Fortnite world to try and stop anyone escaping. But he ends up going rogue once in the loop and leaving the Order. The IO are then seen researching the alien ships later in the season! They didn’t much more until that Fortnite season ended though.
The Imagined Order Beyond Chapter 2.
At the end of Chapter 2, the IO’s base, the Bridge, was infiltrated by hero characters. Being mainly destroyed and leading to the island flipping over.
In Chapter 3, the IO are now left powerless. They no longer control the loop, but are stuck in it the same as anyone else. They try to reach the original island on the other side in Chapter 3, employing giant drlls to try and get down there. As well as IO patrols on the island. This leads into a full-on war against the 7 in Season 2, with airships and other features. The IO were responsible for blocking building too, leading to a whole new mode for Fortnite.
Later in Season 3, the IO begin to construct a doomsday mechaine. But they are defeated and eliminated from the map. By the end of Chapter 3, the IO only has a few survivors, who seem to have lost their power over the island.
Since then, the IO have been defeated. We saw some elements in OG and other flashbacks, but the IO aren’t in the main plot anymore. They were pretty much already defeated! The game’s story is no longer as interested in the Imagined Order in Fortnite or the Seven. But they could always come back in the future.
The IO in Future Fortnite Lore
The IO have been one of the most persistent factions in Fortnite lore. They’re the go-to villain. At least before Chapter 5/6 ad the complete restart for Fortnite lore. The IO do still show up though. Since we’ve had IO Bunkers around the map, and even IO features in Lego Fortnite. At this point they’re more of a generic original Fortnite enemy though. Not one that’s part of the ongoing plot.
The current storyline has moved away from two factions competeing for control of the loop. But the Imagined Order could return in future Fortnite seasons. A lot of players especially miss the story at the end of Chapters. Lately, moving to a new island has received no explanation, or been as dull as watching Jones jump into a portal and ditching all past lore. It’s a bit different from the days of the island flipping, and the IO spending seasons trying to literally drill back down to the old one.
