Fortnite was released back in 2017 by Epic Games, and to date remains one of the most played games and highly relevant to the gaming community. Revolutionizing the battle royale formula and bringing in a unique and cartoony art style, along with some truly remarkable snappy and easy-to-learn gameplay, Fortnite cemented itself as one of the industry giants though, with the fresh and exciting updates the game released every other week. Aside from having the seasonal content changes now common in most popular battle royale modes, the game also features an immense amount of collaborations with famous pop culture icons like characters from Disney+ Hotstar, superhero comics, movies, and even real-life people like actors, rappers and more.
However, as successful and popular as it may be, the game is still an online game which is also free to play. This means that the game has to rely on servers and continuous upgrades to not only stay relevant but also to make the game visually appealing. The game’s art style might be cartoony, but it still is a very detailed and highly stylised world. The graphics of the game are certainly not realistic but still very intricate. That, along with the fact that this game requires high internet speeds to run well, can cause problems with the performance. Players have often complained that Fortnite frames keep dropping. Not to worry though, as we discover how exactly to solve this problem in the article below.
Frame Drops: Explained
Frame drops, also known as frame rate drops or frame rate fluctuations, happen when video games or multimedia content experience a noticeable decrease in the number of frames displayed per second (or FPS). This is a common issue in video games which plagues a large number of games, including big names like the Assassin’s Creed franchise or Elden Ring. A frame is an individual image that, when shown quickly, creates the illusion of movement. A higher number of frames per second (frame rate) makes things displayed in-game look smoother and more fluid, which improves the overall visual experience. When the number of frames displayed per second decreases in between the gameplay, it makes the game feel really choppy and hampers the gameplay experience, to the great frustration of the viewer.
This problem is primarily a hassle in online shooting games, such as Fortnite. In these online games, the competition is against the player, and snappy, alert and fast movement with quick reaction to onscreen events is what makes the player better at the game. But when a game is experiencing frame drops, the jittery display on the screen makes it difficult for players to effectively play the game in the fast-paced and alert way it was intended to be played. This also leads to input lag, making the player’s movements and actions not translate to the game as they should.
It’s much to the chagrin of the player and can become a major grievance in any fast-paced game which requires precision and attention, especially online games. Fortnite is such a highly popular game, and thus when Fortnite frames keep dropping, it leads to a major problem because the game effectively becomes more difficult (or at times even impossible) to play, causing disappointment and anger to the players who just want to enjoy their game and have a good experience without any hindrance or issues.
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Fortnite is a game which despite its initial appearance, packs in a lot of detailed graphics. It might not be realistic, but is very well visually presented and graphically advanced. On top of that, the game is an online battle royale, which adds to the pressure the system gets when running Fortnite. This is because, in these online games which accommodate so many players, the system has to continuously be connected online, and have the latest software updates, alongside proper hardware to manage the ongoing real-time gameplay between 100 live players. Fortnite has other issues too due to its gameplay nature requiring fast connection, such as the game getting stuck on the checking for updates screen. This also extends to frame rate, as improper connection, alongside hardware being not enough to handle the gameplay, brings down the framerate. These are only some reasons due to which Fortnite frames keep dropping in Fortnite. We list them all below and then explain their solutions.
Fortnite Frames Dropping – All Reasons
Below is the list of all the common reasons as to why the frames might be dropping on Fortnite. Further down we cover solutions for each, so if you know your exact problem you can easily head below. We elaborate on how to fix frames dropping on Fortnite in reference to all these pointers. The ways to solve all the above-listed problems are given below in detail.
- Hardware Limitations
- Software Issues
- High Graphical Settings
- Background Apps
- Driver Issues
- Network Problems
- PC Overheating
Fortnite Frame Drops – All Fixes
Hardware Limitations
Inadequate hardware is one of the main causes of frame drops in Fortnite on PC. Frame rate fluctuations might be brought on by an obsolete graphics card, insufficient RAM, or a processor that is unable to handle the game’s demanding graphics.
How to Fix- Update your PC hardware in accordance with the recommendations given out by Epic Games. Simultaneously, you can check for the minimum and recommended PC specifications seamlessly.
Software Issues
Frame drops can be caused by ineffective game or video encoding, insufficient optimisation, or excessive resource consumption by background programmes. This often happens due to troubles with new updates or when the software has corrupted.
How to Fix- It’s best to check for updates and make sure Fortnite is on the latest update. If the issue persists, try reinstalling the game to make sure the corrupted or damaged files are repaired.
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High Graphical Settings
Frame drops are liable to occur when playing Fortnite on high graphics settings because of the enormous load on your computer’s hardware. It is possible to enhance efficiency and lessen frame rate variations by lowering the graphical settings, such as by lowering the resolution or eliminating particular visual effects.
How to Fix- Check that the game’s visual settings are causing issues with your computer. Players noted that uninstalling the high resolutions texture pack really improves the overall game performance.
Background Apps
While playing Fortnite, resource-intensive applications running in the background might eat up important system resources and hurt performance. Resources can be made available and frame drops may be decreased by closing pointless background programmes.
How to Fix- Make sure that you close any taxing application before opening Fortnite. You can also further check using the Task Manager to ensure that no other application is using your RAM so that the game can run smoothly.
Driver Issues
Frame drops and other performance problems might be brought on by outdated or incompatible graphics drivers. The most recent version of your graphics drivers can help you maintain stable frame rates and maximize performance.
How to Fix- Check on your drivers and make sure that they are up-to-date and compatible with your system to ensure a smooth experience with Fortnite. Always update your drivers prior to playing Fornite to avoid this issue.
Network Problems
In online multiplayer games like Fortnite, variable frame rates can be caused by poor network access or significant latency. The number of frame drops brought on by network-related problems can be decreased by ensuring a steady and quick internet connection.
How to Fix- As stated, check on your internet connection and make sure that it’s providing a stable and smooth internet. You might consider getting an Ethernet cable, as it provides much quicker data and internet transfer than Wi-Fi.
PC Overheating
Your PC’s components, such as the graphics card or processor, can become overheated. This causes them to experience performance throttling, which can result in frame rate decreases. This is not a problem only in Fortnite, but one which can affect all applications.
How to Fix- Frame drops caused by overheating can be avoided by keeping your PC suitably cooled. You can use various cooling methods like multiple fans or even liquid cooling to make sure your system runs smoothly with no issues, and you can game without trouble.
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Conclusion
Fortnite is a fast-paced, action-heavy and precise battle royale. It’s additional mechanic of building construction on the fly to assist with the gameplay also adds to the systems, meaning the player has to make sure to be precise and accurate with their movements to play better. This means that when there are problems with the game’s framerate, it can cause a lot of problems while playing. Fortnite has this common problem where the frames keep dropping, but it’s not one without a fix. After reading this article, you know how to solve the issue of Fortnite frame drops and make sure your Fortnite gameplay experience is not hindered by choppy or inconsistent frames. Happy gaming!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q) What minimum graphics card is required to run Fortnite?
Ans: Fortnite needs a minimum of Intel HD 4000 Video Card, which is a basic integrated graphics card. It’s not a particularly taxing game, but with updates, the game has gained some texture overhaul, so a dedicated graphics card is recommended.
Q) Will overclocking my PC help with frame drops on Fortnite?
Ans: Overclocking can potentially help boost the performance of the game, but it’s important to know that overclocking is a complex method and you should not attempt it unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing.
Q) I followed all the steps but my problem is still not fixed. What to do?
Ans: Even if after reading and following our guide you are still experiencing frame drops on Fortnite, you should consult Epic Games for customer care, or try one of the games forums for additional support to further understand your issue.