Fortnite’s global phenomenon status is undeniable, with millions of players worldwide diving into its Battle Royale and creative modes daily. However, for a significant portion of its European player base, located in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, the dream of seamless, low-latency gameplay remains frustratingly out of reach. While Western European players often enjoy near-instantaneous response times, their Eastern counterparts are frequently battling against high ping and debilitating lag due to the Fortnite Server Location infrastructure. This disparity creates an uneven playing field, hindering competitive integrity and diminishing the overall gaming experience.
For competitive online games like Fortnite, server proximity is paramount. The further you are from a game server, the longer data packets take to travel back and forth, resulting in higher latency, commonly known as “ping”. In fast-paced action games where milliseconds matter, high ping can be the difference between victory and defeat. Players with low ping benefit from quicker reaction times, smoother movement, and a significant advantage in engagements. Imagine trying to build, aim, and shoot when your actions are delayed – this is the daily reality for many Eastern European Fortnite players.
Currently, Fortnite’s dedicated servers in Europe are heavily concentrated in Western and Northern regions. Locations include London (England), Paris (France), Ireland, Frankfurt (Germany), Milan (Italy), and Helsinki (Finland). Noticeably absent from this list is any Fortnite server location in Eastern Europe or the Balkans. This geographical imbalance means that players in countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and the Balkan states are forced to connect to servers located hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
The impact of this server distribution is significant. While Western European players often experience ping as low as 0-20ms, players in Eastern Europe and the Balkans typically face ping ranging from 60-120ms, and sometimes even higher. Specifically for Battle Royale matches, all European players are funneled to servers in Frankfurt and Paris, with competitive matches often hosted in London. This centralized system exacerbates the latency issue for Eastern European players, putting them at a distinct disadvantage compared to their Western counterparts.
To rectify this imbalance and ensure fair play for all European Fortnite players, the solution is clear: Epic Games needs to establish a dedicated “Europe East” server region. This new region, strategically located to serve Eastern Europe and the Balkans, would drastically reduce ping times for players in these areas. By creating a dedicated Fortnite server location in the East, Epic Games would demonstrate a commitment to its entire European player base, fostering a more equitable and enjoyable gaming environment.
Epic Games leverages Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its global server infrastructure. Examining the AWS Global Infrastructure Map reveals a similar pattern – a strong presence in Western and Northern Europe, but a noticeable gap in the East and South. As AWS continues to expand its global reach, there’s a prime opportunity to invest in server infrastructure in Eastern Europe. By partnering with AWS to establish new servers in this region, Epic Games can finally level the playing field and provide Eastern European Fortnite players with the low-latency experience they deserve.
It’s time to make Fortnite truly fair for all European players. Establishing a dedicated “Europe East” Fortnite server location is not just about improving gameplay; it’s about recognizing and valuing the entire Fortnite community. Let’s urge Epic Games to take action and bring lag-free Fortnite to Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
