'Dignitas' Secret to Success in Fortnite: An Exclusive Interview with the Manager

Fortnite is a game that has taken the world by storm. With millions of players worldwide, it has become one of the most popular games in the world. But for some, Fortnite is more than just a casual game – it's a profession. Professional esports teams have emerged recently, with players competing for cash prizes in organized tournaments. And one team that has been making a name for itself in the world of Fortnite is Dignitas.

Dignitas is a professional esports organization that was founded in 2003. Over the years, they have fielded teams in various games, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Overwatch. But in recent years, they have focused heavily on Fortnite, and their efforts have paid off. Dignitas has quickly risen to the top of the competitive scene thanks to a combination of talented players, rigorous training, and a winning strategy.

Dignitas' rise to the top of the Fortnite world has not gone unnoticed. They have signed some of the best Fortnite players in the world, including Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf, who has won several major tournaments, including the Fortnite World Cup in 2019.

Dignitas' current roster boasts a powerhouse lineup of top-tier Fortnite players, including Bugha, Khanada, Mero, Pgod, Dukez, and Cam. With an impressive track record of individual accomplishments and collective victories, each team member brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the table.

As we explore Dignitas' journey to the top of the Fortnite world, we have the exciting opportunity to sit down with Fifty, the mastermind behind the team's success. In this exclusive interview, Fifty shares his unique insights into Dignitas' approach to Fortnite, including the strategies and mindset that have propelled them to victory repeatedly. He reveals the keys to their success, from their unwavering focus and discipline to their commitment to cultivating a supportive team culture. Through our conversation with Fifty, we gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of Dignitas and its relentless pursuit of excellence.

Interview

Andrea: What inspired you to become a manager for Dignitas, and what drew you specifically to managing their Fortnite team?

Fifty: Following my departure from both Endless and TNA I transitioned out of working with organizations to help talent individually develop as players, creators, and brands. When Dignitas approached me about their interest in Fortnite, it’s the first time I’ve ever had a “Tier One” organization understand the potential of Fortnite and how it can attract the next generation of Esports fans. When talking with other organizations it became extremely clear that they only wanted to enter Fortnite as a way to say they’re in tune with the youth, without actually having anything of value to back that statement. Dignitas showed me they wanted to build culture, invest in the future of gaming, and create a universal brand that people want to get behind.

Andrea: Can you walk us through Dignitas' unique approach to Fortnite, and what strategies have you found to be most effective in the competitive scene?

Fifty: Dignitas sees Fortnite as the bridge between gaming and the mainstream. It feels incorrect to group all Fortnite players and viewers into a singular fanbase, as the beauty behind this title is that there are so many different likes, interests, and communities involved in making the game what it is. The main strategy we find to be effective is helping hone in our players’ brands. With third-party events being such a major part of the Fortnite experience (i.e Gamers8, Twitch Rivals, Dreamhack, etc), as a player the only way to separate yourself and secure invites is by putting in additional work to get recognized. You can’t be the best player in the world if no-one is talking about you.

Andrea: How do you work with your players to maintain their motivation and focus during challenging times or moments of adversity, and what techniques do you find to be most successful?

Fifty: Fortnite has the youngest age demographic out of any professional Esports scene, so as a manager we have the additional responsibility of helping talent develop as people before they can compete to their fullest potential. Players tend to get lost in their alias rather than the needs of the person behind the screen, and helping them find balance in their life with the smallest things such as nutrition, relationships, and fitness can help them compete on a whole new level. With that being said, it’s hard to have young talent stay focused and look at the long-term after a poor performance. Having them use those shortcomings as motivation is really important to their success, because they need to feel supported when they don’t reach their goals. I always say feeling angry, sad, or any emotion after a loss is good because it means you genuinely care about succeeding.

Andrea: In your experience, what are the most important qualities for a Fortnite player to have in terms of both their gameplay and mindset, and how do you help your players cultivate these qualities?

Fifty: The number one trait I look for in a player is the inability to get complacent. Prior to the Solo Cup changes, I used to have a rule I applied to all my signings. If someone didn’t play Solo Cash Cups because they felt they were too good, I wouldn’t be interested in them. It’s incredibly easy to become Tier One in Fortnite, but with constantly changing metas, staying at the top requires both discipline and passion. For team modes, trust and accountability are everything. Players that consistently blame their teammates and the game for the reason they aren’t performing won’t progress anywhere and will constantly be shuffling teammates every offseason. Helping my players cultivate these qualities is rather simple actually. Every Fortnite player has had a tournament slump, and I want them to remind themselves how they were feeling in that period of time so they work harder to never feel that way again. Teammate wise, trust is something that needs to be built over time. When one of my players is with a new teammate, I’ll ensure I’m on the call so I can see how the communication is. After a few scrimmages and tournaments it's easy to understand both players’ gamestyles. I have them make individual changes for the better of the duo by VOD reviewing how the other one plays. Duos should be able to close their eyes and just by communicating, understand what their teammate is doing and once it gets to that point I know that’s when the team is ready to take the leap to be a champion.

Andrea: Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for Dignitas' Fortnite team, and what steps do you plan to take to achieve them?

Fifty: Looking ahead, our sights are definitely set on that Copenhagen Championship. FNCS Invitational 2022 was eye opening as to how COVID has affected the Esports industry. Become Legends was the only organization that practiced for a real LAN scenario during the pandemic, and to no surprise Kami and Setty dominated that event. We immediately realized that our plan for 2023 had to be preparing our talent for these in-person events through stage experience and media training at bootcamps. Our players will have a bootcamp for each of the FNCS Majors this year and we’ll be helping them attend any/all third-party events that occur as well.

Andrea: Are there any plans for Dignitas to expand to other regions such as Europe and establish a presence there similar to what you've accomplished in North America?

Fifty: I don’t know if I’m allowed to say in what capacity, but we definitely are keeping our eyes out for talent in other regions. We’ve already been fortunate enough to have the LATAM community really rally behind the organization and are seeing major support internationally from Europe and Asia without having any Dignitas members there. Like I said before, our goal is to build the #1 Universal Fortnite brand so hopefully you guys will see us expand internationally soon.

Andrea: As someone who is deeply involved in the Fortnite esports scene, how do you see the industry evolving in the coming years, and what role do you see Dignitas playing in shaping that future?

Fifty: As someone deeply involved in the Fortnite Esports scene, I genuinely do see the industry changing for the better in the coming years. While competitive players might not see it, Creative 2.0 will be game changing for the scene and will have every Blue Chip brand wanting to be integrated into Fortnite. This will in effect bring back both creators and organizations wanting to invest into Fortnite efforts and that will trickle down to the competitive scene. The announcement of NA Central may have been out of left field, but long-term I do believe that it’s necessary for the state of the game and will allow us to reset the North American Fortnite infrastructure. I’m hoping that with the announcement of Creative 2.0, the return of Fortnite LAN events, and now the addition of a NA Central server we will see the competitive scene marketed better to the casual community. Dignitas has major plans for 2023 and beyond, so we plan on being the organization that brings competitive back to the forefront of Fortnite.

Andrea: For aspiring Fortnite players and managers who hope to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give to help them achieve success in the competitive scene?

Fifty: For aspiring Fortnite players and managers hoping to follow in our footsteps, I’d say do not be afraid to go against the norm. Fortnite has so much opportunity for really any niche, so if you have a vision all it takes is hard work and problem solving and you can go out there and execute it. I will say, one thing I learned when I was younger that building a brand for yourself is pivotal. For managers like myself, it’s always about helping everyone around you reach their fullest potential, but the genuine truth is you can only do that if you’ve done it yourself. For players, show people why you’re the next big thing. With both NA servers combining, it allows for unknown talent to really rise up the ranks and start a new chapter. Put yourself on a routine, aim training, mechanics training, scrims, vod reviews, if you want to be a professional you have to put in the time and effort it takes to be one. I do believe we’ll see a huge influx of fresh talent this year and I’ll have my eye out for new recruits when it comes tournament time.

We would like to thank Fifty for taking some time to speak with us. Be sure to follow him and Dignitas on every social!