Fortnite Battle Royale was first released in 2017. Epic Games officially launched the free-to-play mode on September 26, 2017, after developing it in a very short period during that year.
Fortnite itself had an earlier release: Fortnite: Save the World entered paid early access in July 2017. Battle Royale was initially planned as an additional mode within that game, but Epic decided to release it as a separate free-to-play title. The distinction explains why Fortnite and Fortnite Battle Royale can have different release dates in historical references.
The Battle Royale mode placed up to 100 players on an island, where they collected equipment and fought while a storm reduced the safe area. Its accessible format, building mechanics, frequent updates, and free price helped it grow rapidly. It is sometimes confused with Fortnite’s 2011 announcement or Save the World’s July 2017 early-access launch, but the Battle Royale release specifically belongs to September 2017.