What Fortnite's Travis Scott concert taught us is that people want to use this hugely popular game for socializing as well as digital shootouts. With that in mind, Epic Games launched Fortnite: Party Royale. This mode, which eliminates the violent elements of the hugely popular online shooter, encourages people to get together, hang out, play mini-games, and generally socialize anyway, which is difficult when many people can't physically leave their homes.

Party Royale went live in Fortnite on April 29 as part of the game's latest update. This mode has none of Fortnite's signature weapons or crafting. Instead, the in-game message invites players to "play with friends, play games, complete skydives, and much more." Also worth noting: unlike the regular "Fortnite," the Party Royale mode is not limited to 100 players.

(The upper limit is unknown, but judging by Travis Scott's concert, it is probably much larger than one would associate with a traditional Fortnite map.)

The rationale for the new mode is not hard to understand: because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world are urging people to stay home as much as possible. Even if they are able to go out, few places are open, with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies. Traditional hangouts, such as parks, bars, and even people's homes, are off-limits until permission is granted by public health officials.

This has led to a proliferation of virtual shared spaces, from Zoom to Google Hangouts. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages people to play video games at home. Thus, it was only a matter of time before game developers realized that actually playing online games was often secondary to the experience of spending time with friends using online games. (Second Life might have been able to fill this niche if it hadn't been swallowed up by weird niche porn first, but that's an aside.)

For those who want to spend time with friends online, Party Royale could be a smart middle ground between staring at a static Zoom screen and having to focus on a frenetic multiplayer match.

The first big Fortnite Party Royale event is the Party Royale premiere, featuring live sets by DJs Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, and Dillon Francis. on May 8 at 9 p.m. ET, Party Royale mode and you can watch it live.

As for playing Party Royale, it's ridiculously easy. Just download "Fortnite" if you don't already have it. It's free and available on almost every platform, from PCs to consoles to cell phones. Set up an account, log in, and get ready to play the game as usual.

When you get to the screen where you can select different game modes (solo, squad, arena, creative, arena, etc.), just select party royale. That's it. You can invite your friends just as you would in a competitive game, or you can pop into the public lobby and hang out with strangers. You might get bored, or you might make new friends. There's only one way to find out.

What is interesting about Party Royale mode is not necessarily its function itself, but that Fortnite is beginning to establish itself as a digital alternative to the "third place"-a place where people feel at home, neither at home nor in the office. For many people, a third place is often a bar, a gym, a coffee shop, or some other place where it is basically impossible to go right now. Party Royale may encourage people to interact digitally in the long run, or it may just be a temporary fix until things return to normal in the physical world. We'll (hopefully) know for sure in a few months.

According to a leak earlier this week, those who participate in the Fortnite Party Royale will earn a special Neon Wings Back Bling. This add-on responds to in-game music, making it the perfect accompaniment to Fortnite's special in-game conkers and events.

We also got an early look at the Fortnite Party Royale map by reputable Twitter leaker Lucas7yoshi. According to players who have participated in Party Royale so far, the social space offers a variety of challenges, but players are also encouraged to just wander around and explore.