Originally launched as a cooperative survival game, “Fortnite” has remained one of the most popular video games on the market.
“Fortnite” was released on July 25, 2017, and it is still considered the most successful live game according to Epic Games, the developer of “Fortnite.”
While the Epic Games’s opinion may seem biased, the numbers don’t lie.
According to third-party tracking services, “Fortnite” averaged approximately 230 million monthly active users between January and February 2024. The iconic “Call of Duty” has approximately 400 million registered users but only 2.25 million active users monthly in comparison.
Months after the release of “Fortnite,” the developers opted to leave the survival part of the game behind. As those who have played the game since the beginning are all too aware, the “Fortnite” of 2024 is drastically different from its predecessor.
“Battle Royale,” a game mode within “Fornite” that rewards the winner of a last-man-standing style battle, has essentially taken center stage while the survival mode lingers on the sidelines.
Almost six years after it first launched, fans wonder, is this game losing its steam?
“There are around 400 million registered ‘Fortnite’ players. ‘Fortnite’ generated $9.1 billion in its first two full years since its launch. ‘Fortnite’ events increase monthly revenue by around 23%. Around 85% of ‘Fortnite’ players are aged 18 to 35,” Exploding Topics writes.
With the release of “Call of Duty: Warzone,” some would have expected to see a downfall in Fortnite’s popularity, but surprisingly that did not happen either; according to “Radio Times,” the numbers remained the same.
“Fortnite” quickly became one of the most streamed games on Twitch, a streaming platform specializing in video games, after its release, it has continued to release some of the most popular playthrough videos on the platform.
Epic Games also keeps things interesting for the players by releasing new updates. “Fortnite” has near-constant updates hitting the game, often including new content, characters and weapons, and new or improved mechanics. Epic Games has released so many updates for “Fortnite” that there are now entire gamer websites dedicated to the most recent patches players can enjoy.
Since “Fortnite” is broken up into chapters, each new chapter release offers players a new experience with a different theme. The varying themes often include changing seasons and new items that bring new flavors to this game.
Alongside the new items that come with each chapter, the story changes also. “Fortnite” gives its players some storyline now and then with environmental storytelling. The stories included in the game updates are known to entice fans and leave some feeling indifferent, but it shows that Epic Games is constantly working on the game.
The “Fortnite” update patch notes available to users can quickly let players know everything that’s changed in the game. With every update offering seemingly huge changes, it’s important to stay informed if players want to keep getting Victory Royales and checking out new in-game locations.
Since the 2017 release, “Fortnite” developers have partnered with influencers like MrBeast, a popular YouTuber.
With the collaboration, Epic Games and MrBeast offered players the chance to win a prize of $1 million; players were required to play and win the game or cup, a tournament series of the best players in the game playing against one another, to try and get the money. As the developers likely anticipated, fans loved the collaboration and the competition.
Yes, some streamers will choose to leave the game behind, but that is common and happens with every game. While streamers might be entertainers, they are still just people; sometimes people just want to move on and try something new. However, for every streamer who opts to quit sharing their gaming sessions on Twitch, another player is ready to take their place.
“Fortnite” fans can rest assured, the game does not appear to be disappearing anytime soon. With the near-constant stream of new in-game content and the continued interest from millions of players, it seems safe to assume that the game will continue to be supported by Epic Games for the foreseeable future.
