Fortnite has become a worldwide gaming phenomenon since its launch in 2017, attracting over 350 million players across multiple platforms. The free-to-play Battle Royale mode is what most people associate with Fortnite, but the game also contains a separate premium cooperative player-versus-environment mode called Save the World. This mode was Fortnite‘s original concept before Battle Royale was added later in development.
So is Fortnite‘s Save the World mode free to play like Battle Royale? No, Save the World requires a paid purchase and is not free-to-play. The current cost is $19.99 on all platforms. However, you are only required to buy Save the World once – there is no additional subscription or payments required after purchasing.
What is Fortnite‘s Save the World Mode?
Save the World is Fortnite‘s original PvE game mode that predates Battle Royale. Up to four players team up cooperatively to fight zombie-like creatures called Husks and defend objects using a variety of weapons and building structures.
The core gameplay loop consists of building a fort-style base around an objective, setting traps and defensive weapons, and surviving waves of Husks. Players collect resources, craft weapons/ammo, build defenses, explore the map, rescue survivors, and complete quests.
Progression happens through a questline that advances the story, unlocking new areas, and the player‘s Commander Level which goes up by gaining XP. There are also daily quests, a skill tree, and evolving schematics/heroes using resources to increase power.
Overall, Save the World provides a PvE co-op experience focused on base-building, resource management, and surviving horde-style PvE combat. It has a cartoony art style and emphasizes collectible heroes with distinct abilities.
Why Isn‘t Save the World Free Like Battle Royale?
When first announced in 2011 under the original name ‘Fortnite‘, Save the World was always conceived as a paid cooperative PvE experience. The wildly popular free-to-play Battle Royale mode did not get added until 2017 when the battle royale genre saw a sudden surge in popularity.
Originally Epic Games stated that Save the World would become free-to-play sometime in 2018. However, after missing that target the company announced that Save the World would remain a premium experience with no future plans to go free.
The reasons seem to be development priorities and challenges. Battle Royale‘s explosive growth changed Fortnite‘s scope, so most of the focus shifted to supporting BR as a massive live service game. Delivering Save the World as a polished free experience proved too challenging on top of that.
As a premium experience, Save the World serves a smaller but dedicated playerbase happy to pay for substantial PvE content. It receives regular updates and events, but not on the scale Epic pours into Battle Royale mode.
Purchasing Save the World
While Save the World still requires a paid purchase, it is now much cheaper than the original $39.99-59.99 pricing tiers. Currently, it costs a flat $19.99 on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.
On PC, you can purchase directly through the Epic Games launcher. On consoles you buy it through the respective online stores (PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Nintendo eShop). Once purchased, you have permanent access to Save the World with no recurring subscription or payments.
It‘s important to note progress does NOT carry over between Battle Royale and Save the World. They are separate standalone game modes, so purchasing Save the World does not unlock any skins, items or progression for Battle Royale. The only shared resource is V-Bucks.
Earning V-Bucks in Save the World
A major incentive for Fortnite fans to purchase Save the World is the ability to earn V-Bucks, the premium virtual currency. V-Bucks can be spent in both Save the World and Battle Royale modes, allowing you to save up for cosmetics by playing PvE.
In Save the World, you earn V-Bucks from:
- Daily Quests – 50-100 V-Buck rewards for completing daily missions.
- Daily Login Rewards – Earn a fixed amount of V-Bucks every few days just for logging in.
- Storm Shield Defense Missions – Complete 10 Storm Shield defenses to earn 1000 V-Bucks total.
- Progress Rewards – Leveling up your account and completing story quests reward V-Bucks.
Earning enough V-Bucks to "pay for itself" takes a decent time investment in Save the World. But consistent daily play over a couple weeks can yield enough free V-Bucks for the average player to buy a Battle Pass or skin. Just don‘t expect to immediately earn thousands without putting in gameplay time.
Tips for New Save the World Players
For Fortnite fans considering making the purchase, here are some tips to get you started on the right foot in Save the World mode:
Play through the tutorial/intro quests – Save the World has a more complex learning curve than Battle Royale. The intro quests ease you in so don‘t skip them.
Experiment with different hero classes – There are several distinct hero classes with unique strengths. Try out Ninjas, Constructors, Soldiers and Outlanders to see which you like.
Level up one weapon schematic at a time – Evolving weapons consumes crafting materials quickly, so pick one go-to weapon and level it up before moving onto others.
Prioritize increasing power over collecting items – It’s easy to get bogged down hoarding resources/weapons. Focus on boosting your core survivors/heroes to raise power.
Match elemental weapon types to enemies – Pay attention to elemental enemies and switch to the correct counter weapon for maximum damage.
Play in a party for better rewards – Playing solo is tougher and mission rewards are lowered. Group up for an easier and more rewarding co-op experience.
Have fun exploring and take it at your own pace – Don‘t get caught up min-maxing everything. Enjoy exploring maps, trying new heroes/loadouts and tackling enemies.
Save the World is a deep PvE experience that provides hundreds of hours of content. Once you adjust to its unique quirks and progression system, it can be incredibly fun and satisfying cooperatively fighting the Husks.
Key Differences Between Save the World and Battle Royale
While both part of Fortnite, Save the World and Battle Royale have very different gameplay:
PvE vs PvP – Save the World is player vs. environment with cooperative progression. Battle Royale is competitive free-for-all player vs player combat.
Objectives vs Survival – In Save the World you tackle set objectives like building defenses and accomplishing quests. Battle Royale is about being the last player/team standing.
Cartoony vs Realistic – Save the World has more vibrant cartoony visuals while Battle Royale is higher fidelity for a competitive shooter.
Loadouts vs Cosmetics – In Save the World, your hero choice and weapons greatly impact combat. In Battle Royale, cosmetic skins don‘t affect gameplay.
Crafting vs Looting – Save the World involves collecting resources to craft weapons and ammo. Battle Royale revolves around looting weapons randomly placed on the map.
Save the World gameplay focuses on PvE survival and NPC battles. Fortnite Battle Royale centers around PvP mechanics like building forts and outgunning human opponents. Core modes for entirely different audiences and play styles.
Summary – Worth Purchasing Save the World?
At $19.99, Save the World offers an excellent value packed with unique PvE content and co-op gameplay you won‘t find in Battle Royale. The ability to earn V-Bucks to spend on BR cosmetics is a nice bonus.
Save the World may not be for all Fortnite fans, given the PvE focus. But if you enjoy cooperative base building, fighting NPC enemies, and a PvE campaign, it‘s absolutely worth picking up. Just don‘t expect a free-to-play experience similar to Battle Royale.
For the price, Save the World provides hundreds of hours of entertaining PvE action and a nice change of pace from competitive Battle Royale matches. Take the time to learn its systems and enjoy the ride – you won‘t be disappointed with this premium Fortnite experience.
