It looks like Fortnite could possibly launch in China next week

As Luke Winkie wrote earlier this week, Fortnite may dominate the battle royale scene in the west, but it's not on top of the world. And it won't be, so long as it has no presence in China. 

But lo and behold, it looks like it may reach China sooner rather than later, if the fairly obvious "hints" contained in a new Fortnite Twitter missive are to go by.

Posted earlier today, the tweet reads "The Battle Bus is taking off! Destination, China". This text is accompanied by an image of a Fortnite passport, with a China stamp marked 23/04/2018. It's hardly a stretch to assume that this means Fortnite will launch in China next week. But then, it's not a firm confirmation, either.

Here's the tweet:

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China is an incredibly lucrative market, but it's famously difficult to penetrate. PUBG has managed, but Fortnite may not have the same momentum it did in the west: consoles aren't big in China. For some fascinating insight into Fortnite's chances in China, Luke wrote about it earlier this week.

Or... it could have nothing to do with a China launch at all, as unlikely as that seems. Perhaps those pesky comets and meteors might be involved?

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Shaun Prescott

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.