Fortnite Adds Houseparty Video Chat on PC, PS4, and PS5
Nov. 19, 2020Epic Gameshas today announced theavailability of video chats onFortnite. The feature is powered byHousepartyvideo chat app, which Epic acquired last year. Houseparty video chats are now available to Fortnite players on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
Epic notes that players will need an iPhone or an Android phone with the Houseparty app installed. That’s becauseyour mobile phone is acting as the camerawhile you’re playing Fortnite on your PC or console. To get started, you should install the Houseparty app and connect your Houseparty account to Epic Games account.Image: Fortnite
Once you’ve linked the accounts, you will see video chats in the left sidebar of the game after starting a call. Notably, the company says thatvideo chat automatically gets cropped to focus on player faces. Moreover, it automatically applies a Fortnite-themed virtual background so that just your face is visible to other players in the video chat.
Since this feature involves showing your face to other players, Fortnite has added parental controls. Parents have the option to turn off Houseparty video chats from Fortnite’s parental control options. According to Fortnite, the new feature is designed for players over the age of 13.Image: Fortnite
While just the players on the Houseparty video chat can see you on video, Fortnite reminds that you may be visible to a wide audience in case one of the participants is streaming the game to platforms like YouTube or Twitch.
The company is incentivizing players to install the Houseparty app byoffering Rainbow Fog wrap for free. You can also unlock the wrap by playing five Fortnite matches with your friends between November 20 and November 26. According to Fortnite, players will receive their free wraps by the 4th of December.
Subin writes about consumer tech, software, and security. He secretly misses the headphone jack while pretending he’s better off with the wireless freedom.
