Houseparty Brings Video Chat to Fortnite
Posted by Twigsby on 11/18/2020
Beginning today, connect with your friends in Fortnite like never before. Whether you’re enjoying the latest in-game event or chasing an elusive Victory Royale, the new integration with the Houseparty app brings revolutionary video chat technology so that you can video chat with friends while playing Fortnite.
Get Started With Video Chat
Houseparty video chat will be available to Fortnite players on PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. Players will also need an iOS or Android mobile device with the Houseparty app installed. With the app installed, connect your Houseparty account to your Epic Games account to get started.
As a bonus for linking your Epic and Houseparty accounts, you will unlock the Rainbow Fog Wrap.
Note: We know that Houseparty video chat is not available on all platforms, so we’re giving you another way to get the Rainbow Fog Wrap. Between November 20 (12:00 AM ET) and November 26 (11:59 PM ET) if you play five matches of Fortnite with friends, you’ll receive the wrap by December 4, 2020.
With accounts linked, fire up Fortnite on PC or PlayStation and make sure your mobile device is positioned to fully frame your face. You’re now ready to talk to your Houseparty friends while playing Fortnite.
To bring video chat into Fortnite, take these steps:
- Open Houseparty on iOS or Android and Connect to Fortnite through Settings or the TV icon.
- Join your friends like you normally would or invite them to join you
- Fire up Fortnite on a PC or PlayStation
- Continue talking to your friends while you play
Safety features
Houseparty video chat in Fortnite is cropped to focus on player faces. You will be given a Fortnite-themed virtual background so only your face is shown to other players. Parents can turn off Houseparty video chat within Fortnite’s Parental Controls. Houseparty video chat on Fortnite is designed for ages 13+ since you must be at least 13 years old to create a Houseparty account. Learn more in our Fortnite/Houseparty Player Safety blog.
Have more questions on Houseparty and its Fortnite integration? Read our FAQ below!
FAQ
Who can join my party in Houseparty?
Only your Houseparty friends, and the friends of anyone in your Houseparty room, can join your video chat.
If I use this feature, who can see my video?
Only people in your Houseparty “room” can see you on video within the Houseparty app. Once you open Fortnite, you can still only see the video of other people in the Houseparty room. If you are in a video chat with a participant who is recording or streaming (e.g. to YouTube or Twitch), you may appear in their stream or video content.
How do I block someone that I don’t want in my video chat?
It’s easy to block anyone that you don’t want in your video chat. Within Houseparty, tap on anyone’s face and tap Block.
Within Fortnite, utilize the Report A Player functionality. Open the settings menu and select Settings>Reporting/Feedback>Report A Player. Within the Report A Player pop up, select your reason for reporting (Offensive Language, Offensive Video, Harassment, etc.). You will also have the option to block the player from chat and joining your party. For further assistance, read our Report A Player help article.
If you need to report activity in Houseparty, take the following steps:
- Select their name from Friend list
- Select the Settings icon (iOS) or Friends button (Android) next to their name
- Select Block / Report
- Choose Report
You can also remove them as a friend by selecting the “Unfriend” button. You can always lock your party to keep out unwanted guests, until you or someone else in the room unlocks it!
How do I keep other Houseparty friends from joining my room?
While in Houseparty, at the bottom of the screen, you should see a lock icon. Tap it to block further users from joining your room. You or anyone in your Houseparty room can unlock the room at any time.
Will Houseparty video chat be integrated on other gaming platforms?
At the moment, it’s only available for PC and PlayStation (both PS4 and PS5). We will let everyone know if we’re able to support more platforms in the future.
See you (literally) on the Island!
- The Fortnite Team