Table of Contents
Guide
Page List
Published in the United States of America by Cherry Lake Publishing
Ann Arbor, Michigan
www.cherrylakepublishing.com
Reading Adviser: Marla Conn MS, Ed., Literacy specialist, Read-Ability, Inc.
Photo Credits: Page 4, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock; page 5, Konstantin
Savusia/Shutterstock; page 6, Roman Kosolapov/Shutterstock; page 8,
JJFarq/Shutterstock; page 17, DFree/Shutterstock; page 18, Sterling
Munksgard/Shutterstock; pages 20 and 24, Leonard Zhukovsky/
Shutterstock; page 21, Lenscap Photography/Shutterstock
Copyright 2020 by Cherry Lake Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been filed and is available
at catalog.loc.gov
Cherry Lake Publishing would like to acknowledge the work of the Partnership
for 21st Century Learning, a Network of Battelle for Kids. Please visit
http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21 for more information.
Printed in the United States of America
Corporate Graphics
21st Century Skills INNOVATION LIBRARY
Contents
UNOFFICIAL GUIDES
Chapter 1
Playing to Win
A re you a sports fan? It can be a lot of fun to fol
low your favorite teams and players as they
face off in high-stakes competitions. If youre an
athlete yourself, you might even know what its like to
feel the rush of playing against your rival in a champi
onship match. After months or even years of hard work
Competitive gaming has become incredibly popular
in recent years.
With streaming services such as Twitch, it is
easy to watch pro gamers in action from just
about any online device.
and training, everything is on the line in one dramatic
event. People cheer from the crowd as you put your
skills to the test and do your best to win.
Maybe you also enjoy playing video games.
Some people play video games to relax or hang out
with friends. Others like experiencing exciting stor
ies and being amazed by incredible graphics as they
play games alone. But for millions of people around
the world, video games are just like sports. They are
all about the thrill of competition. Some people like
to participate directly by going online and battling
against other players. Others like to follow the action
by watching their favorite streamers play online.
UNOFFICIAL GUIDES
Some competitive games even have professional
leagues and tournaments, just like basketball, soccer,
or other traditional sports. These games top players
can earn millions of dollars per year. They have dedi
cated fans who cheer them on from all over the world. In
many ways, theyre no different than the superstars who
become household names by playing traditional sports.
Professional video game competitions are called
esports. The first modern esports tournaments began in
Big esports competitions can pack arenas just like
traditional sporting events.
FORTNITE: World Cup
the 1990s. Esports popularity increased steadily
during the 2000s and then blew up in a big way
during the 2010s. One reason was the launch of game
streaming services such as Twitch, where huge
audiences can tune in online to watch live as people
play games. At the same time, many game
companies began realizing the potential for esports.
They focused on creating games that worked well in
tournaments and other competitive situations. They
also worked to make sure their games were as fun to
watch as they were to play.
Esports players compete in all kinds of games.
Some enjoy the intense, fast-paced, one-on-one
battles of fighting games such as Street Fighter and
Tekken . Others focus on strategy games such as
League of Legends or Dota 2 . In recent years, some of
the most popular competitive titles have been battle
royale games. In battle royale games, a large group of
players drops into one big map without any weapons
or supplies. The players are expected to scavenge for
gear and battle each other to be the last one standing
as the games map slowly shrinks. Some of the most
popular battle royale titles include Apex Legends ,
PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds , and Fortnite .
UNOFFICIAL GUIDES
Fortnite is one of the most popular games in the
world. More than 250 million people around the world
have downloaded the game. Its most popular stream
ers have become major celebrities. And in 2019,
Fortnite proved that it could also be one of the top
esports games. In February of that year, Fortnite
developer Epic Games announced the first annual
Fortnite World Cup. This massive tournament would be
open to Fortnite players all around the world, and Epic
Every skilled Fortnite player had a shot at
participating in the Fortnite World Cup.
FORTNITE: World Cup
Work or Play?
Getting paid to play video games might sound like a dream come true. After all, video
games are designed to be fun, and everyone likes making money. But becoming a
successful esports athlete is a lot harder than it might seem at first.
Just as pro athletes spend hours upon hours working out in gyms and practicing their
skills, esports players must devote a lot of time to their training. Top players might spend
around 12 to 14 hours per day playing the same game, every single day. They are not
playing to relax or have fun. They are trying to improve their reflexes and develop new
strategies. They need to be able to move their hands and fingers very quickly, and they
need to be able to think and plan at the same time. This kind of training is hard work,
and it can be exhausting. As a result, most esports competitors retire by the time they
are in their mid-20s.
promised to hand out $100 million in prizes to the games best
players.
The announcement of the World Cup made waves across
the esports community. Major tournaments had awarded big
prizes before, especially in major events for League of Legends
and Dota 2 . But Epic was offering a truly incredible amount of
money. And with Fortnite s immense popularity, there was a
guarantee that millions upon millions of people would compete
to win a piece of the prize. This meant that competition would
be fierce, and there would be a lot of people watching. The
World Cup was sure to be a major event in esports history.
UNOFFICIAL GUIDES
Chapter 2
Road to the
Finals
W hen the World Cup was announced, Fortnite
fans around the world immediately started
making plans to participate. Some started
practicing their battle royale skills in hopes of winning
some prize money. Others started speculating about
Starting out in Arena Mode is as easy as
choosing the right game mode in the main
Fortnite Battle Royale lobby.
Arena Mode looks exactly like a regular Battle
Royale match, except for a small box near the
health and shield meters. This box records points
earned toward advancing in the ranks of a league.
which famous streamers and pro players had the best
chances of winning.
Everyone was curious about how the tournament
would work. Who would be allowed to participate?
How would the winners be chosen? When exactly
would the World Cup take place?
The first step was for players to meet the require
ments to participate in official World Cup matches.