The new season of Fortnite has begun, normally it’s a period of great excitement especially if you’re following Fortnite tournaments. But we’re looking at a much more casual focused Fortnite season, maybe more so than even the older collab seasons. What Fortnite Galactic Battle tournaments are actually coming? The game isn’t hosting its normal set, but we are getting something.
This season will only be a single month long, a few weeks of Star Wars before we move on to another full season. We’re not getting another FNCS Major. There’s not the time to run one, nor the loot pool to make it worthwhile. However, there are a few Fortnite tournaments to look forward too. This is how competitive is going to work in the current Fortnite season:
Fortnite Galactic Battle Tournaments Explained
The new Fortnite season isn’t the most competitive focused but there are some unique events happening to keep us busy. There’s not only the normal Cash Cups, but extra FNCS events to help the top players stay in fighting shape for the next Major. Not to mention multiple tournaments where players can compete to win free Fortnite cosmetics.
These are the new tournaments and changes from the norm for tournaments this season:
Fortnite Galactic Battle Esports – Ranked Cups
The normal Fortnite Ranked Cups are returning this season. They’re being held in Battle Royale, but also as Ranked Reload Cups too. These will be an extra tournament for the reload mode. That’s the game mode that focuses on Fortnite’s core gunplay, and it’s always popular when Battle Royale has something wacky like this going on.
This season here’s two prizes up for grabs in the Ranked Cups. We’ve got the Elite Zadie outfit, which was given away at the end of last season. Then there’s the Ranked Cup Death Star Umbrella. This is the free Victory Glider for the season but in gold, as has become the normal giveaway to anyone earning 50 points in the Ranked Cups.
Community Cups
Another new entry in the Fortnite Galactic Battle tournaments is the FNCS Pro-Am Community Cups. To celebrate the release of new Champion styles for a few of the Fortnite Icon Skins, they’re being given away in new Community Cups. These will be held every few days as we lead up to the Pro-Am. Although, these are also Reload tournaments instead of Battle Royale.
These are the Community Cups announced so far:
- Champion Clix Outfit
- Champion Bugha Outfit
- Champion Lachlan Outfit
- Champion Loserfruit
FNCS Showdown Cups
The FNCS is taking a break, outside of the Pro-Am, but we are getting some Fortnite tournaments for the top trios still. This season the Division 1 and Division 2 players from last season can compete in FNS Showdown Cups. Held for the final three weeks of the event. This will be a nice opportunity to see FNCS level action despite the collab season.
Fortnite Console Victory Cash Cup Tournaments
A new tournament type for those on Console. This will likely return to the Victory formula from the name, where players only get awarded Victory Royales. Nothing else counts. Since this is on console, we expect it to be a little less competitive than the other Fortnite Galactic Battle esports tournaments though.
New XP Boost in Tournaments
One feature that’s being added this season is XP boosts. It’s a new bonus which means players will get extra XP for their time spent alive in tournaments.
It should be quite a boost to players. Although, most people competing in multiple tournaments each season likely don’t have to worry too much about grinding out the Battle Pass. With the current pass being only a month long, it might encourage more participation in the Fortnite Galactic Battle Tournaments
Why No FNCS?
While we are getting the Pro-Am, there won’t be a full FNCS this season. Instead, players will have minor Cups to contend with. The current season isn’t long enough for our normal FNCS Major format. But on top of that, Battle Royale might just not be set up for the FNCS to run this time.
Fortnite Galactic Battle Tournaments are already starting with heavy changes to the loot pool. More are expected too.
It’s a Star Wars season. The guns are gone, and blasters are in their place. Melee lightsabers with special force powers will be the weapon of choice for many until the season ends. It just isn’t a set-up that lends itself to the FNCS.
We could see tournaments run with a whole lot of items removed from the loot pool, which has happened before. But using this as the month-off mini-season seems like a smarter way to do it. Rather than having a tournament running with a particularly weird lot pool, we’re focusing on reload until June and the next season. Presumably when the third Major of 2025’s FNCS will run.
