Fortnite had to fight off some stiff competitors over the years. Games from all sorts of similar genres were gunning for Epic’s flagship. There’s soon going to be another kid on the block, whose visual style and gameplay threaten to move into Fortnite’s turf once again. Coming from My.Games studio, Hawked looks to bring a fresh perspective to the team-based “extraction shooter” genre. Let’s see if that’s something that puts Fortnite on the back foot.
Fortnite’s Colourful New Competition
Just a single glance at Hawked’s art style immediately draws a comparison to Epic’s battle royale. The gameplay looks similar in many ways as well. In Hawked, you spawn in teams of three, battling your way over X-Isle and picking up loot and weapons from various sources. Your team’s goal is to complete objectives and collect Artifacts all over the island, then become the overall winner by defeating the other teams and escaping with the most Artifacts and objectives.
There’s a decent comparison to be made with Escape from Tarkov, but stylistically, it looks like Hawked was clearly inspired by Fortnite. The game boasts PvPvE gameplay, with puzzles, traps, monsters, and more scattered over the island.
An interesting take in Hawked is that no matter if you win or lose, you’ll always get something from the match. It could be cosmetics, or simply some loot and currency. That feeds into the system that lets you build and improve your characters, which is further emphasized by the customization system. Here, players can customize their characters through both cosmetic flair and functional upgrades that affect gameplay.
Hawked Open Beta Is Coming Soon
Hawked is still in beta, but is expected to transition to open beta status in August 2023. Players who take part in the open beta can expect to get the Premium Battle Pass for free. Moreover, all premium cosmetics from the beta will transition to the live game. The beta period will also test the game’s crossplay between PC and console players. Hawked can be tested on PC through Steam and MGLauncher from August 3-17.
In many ways, Hawked represents a game mode that Fortnite players wish they’d had. There were several attempts through Creative, but if Hawked takes off, it might pull a chunk of Fortnite’s players with it. It will certainly be interesting to see how the latest challenger fares against the juggernaut.
Do you think Hawked has what it takes to challenge Fortnite? For our Fortnite guides, why not check How to Damage Opponents with Wasps and How to Find & Tame Boars.