Fortnite May Soon Copy Respawn Mechanic of Apex Legends

Uncovered evidence reveals that Fortnite may soon add the respawn mechanic, which was popularized by Battle Royale shooter rival Apex Legends.

Mysterious vans have started showing up in Fortnite‘s Replay Mode ever since season 8 started. Players are not able to drive the vehicles, which appear to be placed in specific locations around the map. They look like the game’s Battle Bus, but with a giant hologram on the roof and a logo at the side.

Twitter user FortTory discovered files seemingly related to the mysterious vans, which appear to be named the “SC_Machine.” SC apparently stands for Second Chance, so the vehicles are now being referred to as Second Chance Vans.

Another Twitter user, Lucas7yoshi, then found a file that he called a Second Chance Card. The item, which appears to be identical to a model used in Fortnite‘s Save the World mode, looks similar to the logos found on the Second Chance Vans.

Gamers have pieced together that the Fortnite respawn mechanic will work just like in Apex Legends, where players can pick up the banners left behind by their fallen teammates. They can then take the banners to respawn beacons around the map, where their teammates will once again join the match, albeit without any equipment. In Fortnite, it appears that fallen players will leave behind Second Chance Cards, which teammates can pick up and bring to a Second Chance Van. The dead player will then respawn from the hologram at the top of the vehicle, likely also without any gear.

Epic Games previously said that it is taking a look at pinging and respawning, two mechanics that initially set Apex Legends apart from Fortnite. Pinging was quickly added to Fortnite with the launch of season 8 through the updated World Marker tool, which can now be used to place markers and point out particular items.

The mounting evidence suggests that the addition of respawning to Fortnite is close behind, though without a timetable, as Epic Games has not made an official announcement. However, with the introduction of the two Apex Legends mechanics, it would appear that Epic Games is considering Respawn Entertainment’s surprise hit as a legitimate threat.