You’ve probably at least seen or heard ofFortnite— after all, it’s one of the (if not the) biggest games in the world right now. Though it wasn’t the first game to implement the popular battle royale genre, it certainly capitalized on it and brought it to the forefront.

Difficulty

What You Need

PlayStation 4

Internet connection

you may get it on a lot of modern devices, from smartphones and tablets to PC, and even consoles like the PS4. But how exactly do you get your hands on it on PS4, specifically? You’ll notice there aren’t anyFortnitediscs sold in stores (barring any used copies of the original game that launched in 2017), so the only way to get it on your system is to download it. In this guide, we’ll show you how to do just that.

Here’s everything you need to know about playingFortniteon PS4.

Further reading

How to get Fortnite on PS4

Before getting into the steps for downloadingFortniteon PS4, you’ll need to ensure your system is connected to the internet. You can do so via Wi-Fi or with an Ethernet cable. Once you do, log in with your PSN account and you’ll come to the PS4’s home screen, which features all of your apps and games aligned horizontally. At this point, you can follow the steps to getFortniteon your system.

Step 1:Navigate to the PlayStation store. From the home screen, scroll all the way to the left and you’ll find an app labeledPlayStation Store. ClickXon this.

Step 2:Next, you’ll be brought to the PS Store’s main menu. You’ll see a lot of options on the left side of the screen, but the one you’re looking for is labeledSearchat the top. It has a magnifying glass next to it and is located to the left of theCarttab.

Step 3:PressXonSearchand you’ll be able to type in the game you’re looking for — in this case,Fortnite.

Step 4:To search forFortnite, you’re able to click on each individual letter to find what you’re looking for. When we tried it, we typed in F-O andFortnitecame up instantly. So there’s no need to type in the whole name, given its popularity. For more obscure titles, you might have to type in the full name. You should seeFortniteappear on the right side. It will simply be labeledFortnite, so don’t worry about any add-ons for right now.

Step 5:PressXonFortnite.

Step 6:DownloadFortnite, which is free, so you don’t need to use a credit card or currency to download it. Simply pressXonDownload, and it’ll begin downloading onto your PS4.

At this point, you’re free to press the PS button on your controller (denoted by the PlayStation logo in the center between the sticks) to go back to the system’s home screen.

Step 7:It’s no fun, but at this point you’ll have to wait for the download to finish. Luckily, it’s not a large file, so it shouldn’t take too long to finish.

Step 8:When it’s ready, the download bar will go away and it will sayStart. Press that after it’s finished downloading and you’ll launch into the game.

How to launch and run Fornite

Launch into the game.

Step 1:At this point, you’ll be taken to the game’s main menu. If you don’t have an Epic account tied to your system (or don’t have one at all), you’ll need to make one and link it to your PS4. We go into more detail onhow to link yourFortniteEpic account here.

Step 2:Once you’re logged in, it’ll send you to a screen that presents you with three options: Save the World, Battle Royale, and Creative.

From here, you can choose what you want, but most people pick Battle Royale. This is the online competitive mode that is constantly updated, and you can jump in right away.

Install size

Fortniteisn’t a massive file and clocks in at around 6.69GB on PS4. Oddly enough, if you look at the game’s listing in theStoragesection of the PS4’sSettingsmenu, it might show up as 35GB. This has to do with the hard drive type in your PS4 — which can change the compression of the game’s files. Either way, plan for between 7GB and 35GB of free space, just to be safe.

Assuming you picked Battle Royale, you’ll be taken to this mode’s main home screen, where you can look at your progress, items, and Battle Pass features. Oh, and you can launch into a match from here, as well. Now you’re ready to go!

Do you need PS Plus to play?

You do not need a PS Plus membership in order to playFortniteonline. This means you can start playing right out of the box, provided you have an internet connection. Typically, PS Plus is required to play games online, but there are exceptions with games that are free. Some free games still require a PS Plus membership, butFortnitedoes not, so you’ll be good to go without spending any extra money.

Fortnitedoes include in-game purchases on a currency called V-Bucks, though. V-Bucks are used to buy items from the shop, like different outfits, gliders, emotes, and music. A lot of times, they’re tied to specific pieces of pop culture, like Marvel and DC. This is howFortnitemakes money.

If you’re a parent and don’t want your child to use this feature, it’s best to disallow the use of credit cards on the PS4. We’ve all heard horror stories of younger gamers running up a bill because of easy access to credit card information. Though if you do intend to spend money on V-Bucks, take note of the specific item you want before making your purchase.

With all that being said, you should have everything you need to get started playingFortnite!