Student pricing is available for eligible university email holders. View plans

NextSprints
NextSprints Icon NextSprints Logo
Product Design

Master the art of designing products

Product Improvement

Identify scope for excellence

Product Success Metrics

Learn how to define success of product

Product Root Cause Analysis

Ace root cause problem solving

Product Trade-Off

Navigate trade-offs decisions like a pro

All Questions

Explore all questions

Meta (Facebook) PM Interview Course

Practice Meta-focused PM cases

Amazon PM Interview Course

Practice Amazon-focused PM cases

Apple PM Interview Course

Practice Apple-focused PM cases

Google PM Interview Course

Practice Google-focused PM cases

Microsoft PM Interview Course

Practice Microsoft-focused PM cases

All Courses

Explore all courses

1:1 PM Coaching

Practice in a one-to-one session

Resume Review

Narrate impactful stories via resume

Guides Pricing
nextsprints logo

Not a member?

By proceeding, you agree to our Terms of Use and confirm you have read our Privacy and Cookie Statement.

nextsprints logo

Register to continue.

Login with Google Login with LinkedIn

By proceeding, you agree to our Terms of Use and confirm you have read our Privacy and Cookie Statement .

Company focus

Epic
Product Trade-Off Hard Member-only

How should Epic balance expanding Fortnite's cross-platform play capabilities versus maintaining competitive integrity across different input methods?

Prepared by NextSprints

15 mins
Report an error
Strategic Decision Making Data Analysis User Experience Design Gaming Esports Entertainment User Experience Product Trade-Offs Gaming Industry Cross-Platform Competitive Integrity
Product Management Trade-Off Question: Balancing Fortnite's cross-platform play with competitive integrity across input methods

Introduction

The trade-off between expanding Fortnite's cross-platform play capabilities and maintaining competitive integrity across different input methods presents a significant challenge for Epic Games. This scenario involves balancing the desire for a unified player base with the need to ensure fair gameplay across various devices and control schemes. I'll address this complex issue by analyzing the key factors, proposing metrics, and outlining an experimental approach to guide our decision-making process.

Analysis Approach

I'll start by asking clarifying questions, then identify the trade-off type, analyze the product, and propose a hypothesis. From there, I'll define key metrics, design an experiment, outline a data analysis plan, and provide a decision framework before concluding with recommendations and next steps.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

  • Based on recent player feedback, I'm thinking cross-platform play might be causing frustration for some users. Could you share any data on player sentiment or churn rates related to cross-platform matches?

Why it matters: Helps gauge the urgency and scale of the problem Expected answer: Mixed sentiment, with PC players having an advantage Impact on approach: Would influence the priority of addressing input method disparities

  • Considering Fortnite's revenue model, I assume expanding cross-platform play could increase the player base and potential spending. How significant is the projected revenue impact of full cross-platform integration?

Why it matters: Aligns solution with business objectives Expected answer: Moderate to high revenue impact expected Impact on approach: Would justify more resources for a comprehensive solution

  • Looking at our technical capabilities, I'm curious about the feasibility of implementing input-based matchmaking. Are there any major technical hurdles to segregating players by input method?

Why it matters: Determines the viability of a potential solution Expected answer: Challenging but possible with current infrastructure Impact on approach: Would influence the complexity and timeline of proposed solutions

  • Regarding our competitive scene, I'm thinking this could impact esports events. How critical is maintaining a single competitive ecosystem across all platforms for Fortnite's esports strategy?

Why it matters: Affects the long-term competitive integrity of the game Expected answer: Highly important for brand and esports growth Impact on approach: Would prioritize solutions that don't fragment the competitive player base

Subscribe to access the full answer

Image of author NextSprints

NextSprints

Updated Jan 22, 2025