The popular battle royale mode from Epic Games’ “Fortnite” has made its way onto iOS, with an Android version a few months away.

“It’s fun fast gameplay that just so happens to also be free,” junior Adrian Contreras said. “They have a cross-platform feature that allows me to play with friends not using the same console and that really opens up my opportunities for teammates.”

“Fortnite,” which was announced in 2011, is still in development and was originally meant to be a cooperative game. It introduced a free-to-play battle royale mode in September 2017, inspired by “Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds” (PUBG). The new mode was an instant hit with streamers and YouTubers. The cooperative mode is still being developed and can be bought into right now, though it will eventually be released for free.

While the game is conceptually similar to “PUBG,” the differences end in the battle royale concept. “Fortnite” doesn’t allow weapon customization, but allows players to destroy and build structures. This crafting system adds a level of depth to the game and forces players to adapt new strategies based on the materials they have available. The game allows players to play alone or in teams of two to four. On PC and consoles, “Fortnite” is an alternative to players who want a battle royale game but don’t want to foot the $30 price tag attached to “PUBG.”

“I play it because it’s really entertaining and I can play with my friends on the phone,” junior Bella Feinstein said. “I play it everyday.”

Players drop out of a plane into a map with nothing but a pickaxe and have to find weapons while on the ground. The game gradually decreases the play area and forces players closer together via a gradually encroaching storm that damages players who linger in it.

The iOS port is identical to the console and PC versions of the game, with controls adapted for the touchscreen. Players can tap buttons on the screen to move, build and aim. The iOS version is also free-to-play and directly competes with “PUBG Mobile”, which is also free-to-play. Initially, users required an invitational code to play “Fortnite” on mobile, but the game was opened to the public on April 2.