Fortnite's New 5v5 Gamemode: All we know

Welcome to Ballistic, a new first-person Fortnite experience. Launching in early access on December 11 with Ranked + Unranked, Ballistic is an adrenaline-filled, round-based 5v5 competitive game mode where strategy, tactical teamwork, and individual prowess are essential for victory.

How and when to play

Fortnie Ballistic will have early access available on December 11, 2024. This means we have only a few days to prepare for the new challenge Epic Games has in store for us.

Fortnite Ballistic will be available in early access on all platforms where Fortnite is supported, with the exception of South Korea and Russia. Epic Games is actively working to bring the mode to these regions in the future. Early access will allow players to dive into the core gameplay, test the initial set of weapons and items, and provide valuable feedback to help refine the mode before its full release.

Ballistic is launching with the Skyline 10 map, a starting set of weapons, and a limited number of items. Adjustments will be made beyond launch based on player feedback, in addition to major updates such as new maps, weapons, and features. 

Ballistic is a no-build, 5 versus 5 mode. All saved presets from your Locker will carry over into Ballistic, which supports existing Fortnite Outfits, Back Blings, Kicks, Wraps, Sprays, and Emotes! Pickaxes, Contrails, Instruments, Vehicles, and Jam Tracks are not used/supported.

Gameplay

In Ballistic, players are sorted into two teams at the start of the match: attackers and defenders. Attackers aim to plant a reality-tearing Rift Point Device at one of two sites on the map, while defenders do their best to thwart the device from being planted and detonated. 

There are no respawns in Ballistic — a round is over if the Rift Point Device explodes, or either team is fully eliminated. After 6 rounds, players will swap sides, giving defenders a chance to be attackers and vice-versa. The game is over when either team has won 7 rounds total!

Rounds

You’ll start the game with a Ranger Pistol and 800 Credits. Credits can be earned from eliminations and planting the Rift Point Device, and spent within a match at the beginning of every round on additional items and weapons to bolster your chances of success.

Survive a round and you’ll keep all of your gear and shields for the next one, minus any consumable items you’ve used. You can check the scoreboard at any time during a Ballistic match to see how you and your teammates are doing, and to know what weapons and items your teammates are working with. 

The Rift Point Device takes 45 seconds to detonate after it’s planted. If it’s successfully defended, you’ll want to move a fair distance away or run the risk of being eliminated in the device’s blast radius. Getting eliminated by the blast means losing any gear you may have. 

Competitive

There is current no information as to whether or not we will get any tournaments for this game mode; there is a Ranked and Unranked gamemode, however.

Unranked play offers a more casual Ballistic experience if you’re just looking to have fun with friends or try out the mode. This is a great place to practice your aim and get a feel for the Flex Gadgets.  

Ranked is for those who want to test their talents against other players in a more competitive environment. Ranked matches will not backfill players should someone leave — if you leave a Ranked match, a rank penalty will be applied and you will not be able to join another match for a period of time. 

The winning team gains rank in Ballistic and the losing team loses rank. The exact amount each player gains or loses is influenced by the following (in order from most to least impactful): their current rank, rounds won, rounds lost, eliminations, and assists. AFK or leaving players will have an additional rank loss. Your rank will be protected if you lose your first match of the day.

For a full list of weapons and other info, please refer to Fortntie's official blog post https://fn.gg/Ballistic.

If you're interested in the stats and leaderboard information for Fortnite, then check out our official tracker page for the game! We also have a Fortnite Tracker App that can monitor your in-game performance. Consider checking us out and let us know on Twitter at @FortniteTracker what you'd like to see next!