Anybody who’s played Fortnite (opens in new tab) – actually, anybody who’s played any kind of online game – has encountered them. The newb. The confused. The person who just doesn’t understand how a controller works. And if by some miracle you haven’t come across such people before, don’t worry: a new Saturday Night Live skit starring Adam Driver as a middle-age father trying Fortnite for the first time captures the essence of what it’s like perfectly.
As far as depictions in the media go, video games have grown from an often-mocked hobby enjoyed by asocial manchildren to… well, pretty much the same thing (opens in new tab), albeit less severely so (opens in new tab). Maybe that’s why it’s so refreshing to see Saturday Night Live, which is about as mainstream as you can get, make a Fortnite skit that doesn’t treat the game itself as a joke.
The guys Driver’s character plays with aren’t seen as weird or losers, they’re just typical teenagers (being played by men in their mid-20s and 30s, of course). They do their best to help out their squadmate and even offer to go another round after he fails miserably. Sure they get frustrated, but again, they’re not the butt of the joke here.
The skit also nails the feel of Epic’s battle royale juggernaut thanks to the Fortnite Halloween costumes (opens in new tab) and props. Really, it’s just an all-around well-produced joke that manages to be funny without feeling too mean. Kudos, SNL.
If you’re busy playing in the real world, be sure to check out our guides to Fortnite season 6 (opens in new tab), especially the Fortnite Tier 100 Challenge guide (opens in new tab) so you can unlock the full Dire skin.