Video games have proven to be a great way to keep in touch during these crazy times. While we may not be able to see the ones we love in person, we can connect with one another virtually. Millions of people around the world have been using video games as a way to meet up and hang out online with their loved ones. One of the games people have been turning to most is Fortnite, as it’s free-to-play, and available on almost every platform. Now those using Fortnite will have an even more personal way to stay in touch with friends and family alike.
Epic has announced a new update for Fortnite that has them collaborating with the social media app, Houseparty. Houseparty is an app available on iOS and Android that allows you to join up with 7 other friends for a virtual hangout. Think of it as Zoom, but more focused on fun. Once you head into the Houseparty app, you turn on your camera and mic to both see and chat with your buddies. There are no time limits on Houseparty, and you can even play some pre-installed games with your gang. When you get tired of those, you can fire up Fortnite for some seriously neat integration.
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Now when you’re hanging with your squad in Fortnite, you can actually add a live-stream of their faces to your game. All you have to do is connect your Epic account to your Houseparty app and you’re good to go. Once you set that up, Fortnite will add a video strip to the side of your TV screen. The bulk of your TV will still be dedicated to the in-game action for Fortnite, but now on the left-hand side you’ll be able to see your friends! As long as your squad has their phone camera pointed at their faces, you’ll actually be able to see a video feed of them while you play. Chatting in Fortnite with headsets is great, but you can’t beat seeing your friends’ reactions when you secure a Victory Royale.
As of right now, Fortnite’s Houseparty integration works on PC, Playstation 5, and Playstation 4. Epic hasn’t outright said if the feature will make it to other consoles, but they did state that they’ll let fans know about supporting more platforms in the future. Those with the right hardware can jump on the app and fire up Fortnite to enjoy the fun right now. Just make sure you don’t get too caught up in the video chat and forget about the game itself!
Kevin Cassidy has been covering all things Nintendo for over 15 years now and has been leading the weekly GoNintendo Podcast for just as long. Kevin is also quite passionate about pro wrestling, anime, comic books, and more! Follow Kevin on Twitter via @GoNintendoTweet.
