Epic Games, the studio behind the massively successful game Fortnite, has acquired Houseparty, a social platform which allows people to stay connected via video chat. The acquisition was announced by Houseparty in a blog post on June 12, 2019. It is unclear what Epic Games’ plans are after the acquisition, but having more options to socialize could be a possibility.
For those who are unfamiliar with Houseparty, it is an app developed by Life on Air Inc. that allows up to eight different people to chat in a video call at any given time. The app makes use of a splitscreen feature so all eight users can see each other on the same screen simultaneously. It is free and can be downloaded onto any device that uses Android, iOS, or macOS. Houseparty also has various different games that you can play with friends, a private mode which locks all “rooms” so nobody can join, and a ghosting feature, which allows you to use the app without others being notified that you are online.
Epic Games launched Fortnite’s Save the World mode in early access for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on July 25, 2017. Once the game added its free battle royale mode however, it quickly became an all out craze, with eager people flooding to the game to try it out. Over the span of time between now and the game’s initial release it has seen countless updates which have kept players coming back indefinitely for more content. One of the things fans have praised Epic Games for is the consistency that the company adds new content into the game.
Unlike other games where content updates are spread out over months, Fortnite sees new content added on a near-weekly basis, keeping things fresh, and keeping players enticed to hop online. Some of the more notable content added to Fortnite over time include a John Wick event complete with a John Wick skin, and multiple crossover events with The Avengers, one of which allowed players to play as Thanos himself, and another added in the Avengers’ weaponry, like Captain America’s shield and Thor’s Stormbreaker. There’s also been talk among fans about a Destiny crossover!
What do you think of Epic Games’ acquisition of Houseparty? What do you think the company is planning? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
[Source: Medium]
