Why is it called a 90 in Fortnite? The Origins and Rise of The Iconic Cranking 90s

If you‘ve played Fortnite for any length of time, you‘ve likely heard the term "cranking 90s" thrown around. It‘s a building technique that has become synonymous with good mechanics and sweaty tryhards. But why is this maneuver named after the 90 degree angle? And how did cranking 90s become such an iconic skill?

As a long-time player and data analyst myself, I wanted to dig into the origins and evolution of the 90 mechanic. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about cranking 90s, from basic definitions to high level competitive strategies. Let‘s build up to the sky!

The Birth of Building

Fortnite set itself apart from the crowded Battle Royale genre by introducing a unique building mechanic. Suddenly, you didn‘t just need good aim to win – you also needed construction skills!

When building first dropped in September 2017, it was fairly basic. Players mainly used it tactically to block shots or access hard to reach areas. Stairs allowed you to climb mountains, while walls provided cover.

But it didn‘t take long for builders to realize the potential of swift, well-placed builds. Early competitive scrims saw the rise of "towering up" – stacking floors and walls vertically to gain height for an advantage. This evolved into "ramp rushing" – quickly pushing with ramps and walls to take control of fights.

By late 2017, building was core part of competitive play. But the community had yet to adopt the signature 90 degree turn that defines today‘s cranking meta.

The Discovery of Momentum

Season 3 of Fortnite introduced Turbo Building in February 2018, allowing players to hold down buttons to place builds rapidly. This turbo mechanic opened the floodgates for advanced techniques.

Savvy players realized maintaining momentum was crucial for swift and effective builds. Simply building up vertically was slow and left you vulnerable. But if you could keep momentum while encapsulated by structures, you could achieve new heights.

The answer? Turning and building continuously in a corkscrew pattern. This allowed forward momentum while reinforcing with walls and floors. Although it took practice, skilled builders could quickly scale several stories in a few seconds while protected.

And thus the iconic "90 degree" building style was born!

Why 90 Degrees?

Each 90 degree turn became optimal because it allowed builders to place pieces efficiently without losing momentum. The 90 angle provided the perfect ratio of height gain to distance covered.

Attempting sharper angles slowed momentum more. Turning less than 90 degrees left large openings.

90s hit the sweet spot – maximizing height while retaining speed and protection. It‘s no surprise this specific angle was chosen by seasoned players and became the go-to technique.

Who Pioneered the 90s Meta?

While the exact inventor of the 90 degree build strategy is unknown, several early pros mastered the technique. Players like Myth, Daequan, and SypherPK were considered elite builders, known for their quick and creative 90s.

But it was an innovative young player named Mongraal who truly catalyzed the 90s phenomenon. Mongraal burst onto the scene in 2018 and pioneered ultra-fast cranking using optimal keybinds. His mechanical mastery and hyper-aggressive play helped make 90s ubiquitous.

Other young rising stars like Bugha, Clix and Sway also pushed the limits of 90 degree builds. Their insane cranking speed set a new benchmark for players to aspire toward.

Cranking 90s Takes Over Competitive

By 2019, cranking 90s reached critical mass. The Fortnite World Cup marked a major turning point, with 90s becoming a core part of nearly every competitive match. Players realized taking height with swift and protected 90 degree builds provided a massive strategic edge.

Data from 2018 vs 2019 tournaments shows a stark increase in 90 usage:

Tournament	% of engagements involving 90s
Fall Skirmish 2018	17%
World Cup Qualifiers 2019	78%

90 degree builds are now virtually mandatory to keep up with the meta. In high pressure matches, being able to crank out 90s quickly and efficiently separates the best from the rest. It‘s a pivotal mechanic competitive players have had to master.

Why Are 90s So Effective?

Cranking 90s looks visually impressive, but it‘s lasted as an optimal technique for logical reasons:

• Height Advantage: 90s allow players to claim the high ground in seconds, crucial for controlling fights
• Momentum: Continual turns preserve momentum for rapid ascent
• Protection: Floors and walls on each side prevent opponents from shooting you down
• Defense: Makes it difficult for enemies to edit or phase into your builds
• Materials: Efficient use of materials with minimal wasted builds
• Flexibility: 90s can be used for reaching height, escaping, taking walls, and more!

Compared to slow vertical building, cranking 90s provides superior speed and safety. The technique minimizes exposure while offering maximum height gain. It‘s no wonder every great Fortnite player has 90s in their arsenal.

Types of 90s

While the basic concept is building at a 90 degree angle, many variations of the 90 technique have emerged:

• Protected/Safe 90s: Additional walls and floors for maximum protection.
• Mitr0 90s: Named after the player Mitr0, uses less materials and diagonal corner jumps.
• Momentum 90s: Precise sprint jumping at each turn maintains maximum speed.
• Highwall 90s: Additional wall placed for extra protection on high ground.
• Side Jump 90s: Uses lateral jumps across ramps in a zigzag.
• Cone 90s: Places cones in gaps for added safety.
• Reverse 90s: Switches between regular and reverse stairs.
• Mongraal Classic: Extremely rapid succession of three 90 degree turns.

There are endless variations to experiment with. Top players are continually innovating to maximize speed and efficiency when cranking 90s.

My Own 90s Journey

As someone who analyzes Fortnite gameplay, I‘ve made it a mission to improve my building mechanics over the years. Cranking 90s smoothly certainly doesn‘t come easy!

When I first started practicing 90s, I had to think step-by-step about each build piece – place wall, place ramp, jump. My structures ended up disorganized and I‘d lose my momentum.

But with focused practice in Creative mode, 90s started to feel more natural. After optimizing my keybinds, muscle memory took over. I still botch them occasionally, but I can now crank out 5-6 clean 90s in a row at a decent speed.

Of course, I have a long way to go before reaching pro level 90 mechanics. But seeing personal progress has been very motivating. Setting small goals and tracking improvements over time can work wonders.

Common 90s Mistakes

In my journey to improve at cranking 90s, I‘ve made every mistake imaginable. Here are some of the most common errors along with tips to fix them:

Problem: Losing momentum

Solution: Control speed with strafes, don‘t overjump, use floors to retain height

Problem: Wrong build pieces being placed

Solution: Confirm optimal keybinds, focus on precision

Problem: Getting shot down

Solution: Watch angles for enemies, build extra protection

Problem: Running out of materials

Solution: Be efficient, don‘t overbuild, carry extra materials

Problem: Poor coordination

Solution: Practice transitions between build pieces until smooth

Problem: Panicking under pressure

Solution: Drill cranking 90s until the process is second nature

Identifying weaknesses through recordings of gameplay is crucial to improving. Small adjustments add up over time.

Pro Tips for Mastering 90s

I also asked some top Fortnite pros known for their impeccable 90s to share their best tips:

Mongraal – "Practice cranking 90s for at least 10-15 minutes every day in Creative. Work on breaking your personal high record for consecutive 90s."

Bugha – "Instant placement and timing is everything. The faster you can place each build piece, the quicker your 90s will be."

Clix – "Don‘t just blindly crank 90s in Creative. Actually visualize an enemy trying to shoot you down while you do it."

Stretch – "Optimize your keybinds and find what‘s most comfortable for you. I use Q for walls and Mouse Button 5 for floors."

Sway – "Work on performing 90s in every direction – forward, backward, left, right. Don‘t get predictable."

Pros recommend focused, mindful practice along with making keybind experimentation to find your optimal setup. Small tweaks and drills add up!

Improving Your 90s Step-By-Step

Here are some stepping stones from basic to advanced as you work to improve cranking 90s:

• Basic 90s – Focus just on the build order and piece placement
• Protected 90s – Add extra walls and ramps to protect yourself
• Faster 90s – Gradually increase the speed while maintaining precision
• Clean 90s – Refine awkward transitions between build pieces
• Directional 90s – Practice cranking out 90s in every direction
• Long chains – Try setting personal records for most consecutive 90s
• Mixing patterns – Add variety by switching between 90 styles
• Under pressure – Crank 90s while having a friend shoot at you
• With distractions – Practice 90s while tracking enemies, jumping, etc.

With dedicated training, you can steadily rank up your 90 degree mechanics until they feel seamless.

The Competitive Impact of 90s

It‘s hard to overstate just how much cranking 90s has impacted the evolution of Fortnite‘s competitive scene. They‘ve quite literally reshaped the way the game is played.

Back in 2017, building was far more basic and gunplay mechanics were the primary skill gap. But once turbo building allowed swift sequences of builds, aggressive builders began dominating lobbies.

90s took over as the premier technique to gain height once players realized the value of the high ground. This fundamentally shifted competitive Fortnite. Now, every skirmish inevitably devolves into 90 battles, with pros obsessively cranking for height advantage.

This phenomenon has created a massive skill gap in the community. Casual players struggle to keep up with the fast-paced 90 meta. But competitive integrity demands advanced mechanics have a high skill ceiling.

Epic has a tough balance to strike. They want to lower the skill gap so new players don‘t feel too overwhelmed, while also retaining high level techniques like 90s that pros have mastered.

How they handle this balance could determine the future of Fortnite competition. For now though, cranking 90s remains a core pillar of high-level play.

Community Reception

The ubiquity of cranking 90s has garnered mixed reception from the wider Fortnite community. Some players embrace it as an impressive skill that top builders have earned. They strive to perfect their own 90 mechanics to compete.

But others argue it‘s an overused and unhealthy strategy. Build fights devolving into endless cranking up to sky limit removes gunplay and limits counterplay. Some have even labeled the 90s meta as "ruining" public matches.

There‘s valid points on both sides of this debate. 90s will remain divisive among casual and competitive communities.

In public matches, players mainly seem to take issue with "sweats" aggressively cranking on everyone. Perhaps with separate loot pools, 90s could remain for Arena/tournaments, while nerfs target them in core modes.

The Future of 90s

It‘s unlikely that cranking 90s will disappear from competitive Fortnite anytime soon given the massive skill gap developed around the technique. Too many pro careers depend on this mechanic.

However, Epic could still tweak the viability of 90s. Some possibilities:

• Lower structure build limits

• Nerf turbo building speed

• Increase material cost of certain pieces

• Add more counters like the Shockwave launcher

Small tweaks could dull the 90s dominance without gutting them from the game. I expect Epic will aim to shift the meta to weaken, but not eliminate cranking 90s.

Regardless of changes though, 90s have cemented their iconic status in the Fortnite record books. Years from now we‘ll still remember the great builders who mastered the art of rapid 90 degree builds.

Why 90s Have Defined Fortnite

The meteoric rise of cranking 90s exemplifies how Fortnite‘s skill gap has rapidly evolved. What started as a niche maneuver among pro builders became a mandatory technique competitive players needed to master.

It shaped the modern competitive scene, forcing rising stars to push the limits of 90 mechanics. And it also gave casual players a tangible skill to work towards in Creative, creating aspirational goals.

90s are a microcosm of Fortnite‘s identity – an ever-changing sandbox encouraging innovation. One small building technique birthed a massive skill gap that redefined the game.

Although controversial, cranking 90s gave us iconic players and exciting skill expression. The building mechanic allowed room for creative techniques to emerge organically.

So while they can feel oppressive at times, 90s symbolize the endless possibilities within Fortnite. Their rise has contributed to a vibrant, evolving esport and passionate, engaged player base striving to improve.

Not bad for a simple 90 degree turn.