Fortnite Summer Smash announced for the Australian Open

The Fortnite Summer Smash has been confirmed for the Australian Open, offering players a chance to win part of a $500,000 AUD prize pool.

Taking place over the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, the tournament will pit “Australia’s best Fortnite players… in a solos tournament” in which solo players will compete for the following prizes:

• 1st place: $100,000
• 2nd-3rd place: $50,000
• 4th-6th place: $25,000
• 7th-10th place: $5,000
• 11th-15th place: $3,000
• 16th-20th place: $2,000
• 21st-100th place: $1,000

Registration for the solo tournament will open soon — the first 500 eligible players will be invited to take place in one of five heats held at Margaret Court Arena on 26 January 2019. Players must be 16 years of age (or older), have valid access to the Melbourne Park precinct and use provided peripherals.

“Fortnite is a global phenomenon, and we’re excited to host the Grand Slam of competitive gaming events at the Australian Open in January,” Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said. “We’re proud of our reputation for delivering world-class events and are always looking at new opportunities to reach more people.

“The Fortnite Summer Smash at the Australian Open will see some of the best gamers from around the country do battle just hours before the world’s best male tennis players compete for the AO title.”

For more information, and to register (from Wednesday, 9 January), head here.

Additionally, a Duos tournament featuring “a further 100 personalities from sports, entertainment and the gaming world” will duke it out in order to win charitable donations to organisations in need. Already confirmed for the Duos event are content creators Loserfruit, Lachlan, Muselk, Lazarbeam and MrFreshAsian.

Fortnite is available now on Windows PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch, iOS and Android devices.