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Fortnite Battle Royale

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Fortnite Battle Royale
Developer(s)Epic Games
Publisher(s)Epic Games[a]
Director(s)Donald Mustard[2]
Composer(s)Rom Di Prisco
Pinar Toprak
SeriesFortnite
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
Release
September 26, 2017
  • macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
  • September 26, 2017
  • iOS
  • April 2, 2018
  • Nintendo Switch
  • June 12, 2018
  • Android
  • August 9, 2018
  • Xbox Series X/S
  • November 10, 2020
  • PlayStation 5
  • November 12, 2020
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • June 5, 2025
Genre(s)Third-person shooter, battle royale
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Fortnite Battle Royale is a 2017 battle royale video game produced by Epic Games. Part of the overall Fortnite platform, the game follows up to 100 players competing to be the last player or team remaining. Matches begin with players descending onto a large island map, where they gather weapons, items, and resources from scattered locations while attempting to avoid damage from both other players and a continuously shrinking safe zone. A building system allows players to use gathered materials—wood, stone, and metal—to create temporary structures that can be used for movement, defense, or combat. The game is played from a third-person perspective.

The game is organized into chapters and seasons, each bringing updates to the map, gameplay, and cosmetic content. Players may purchase an in-game currency, V-Bucks, used to buy cosmetic items such as outfits and emotes. A seasonal "Battle Pass", also purchased with V-Bucks, provides additional content and unlockable tiers. New modes have been introduced since launch, including Zero Build, which removes building mechanics, as well as ranked gameplay and other special formats with different rulesets. Some modes and updates are tied to promotional collaborations with film, television, and music properties.

Development began in mid-2017, following the popularity of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Built using assets from Fortnite: Save the World, the mode was originally planned as part of the paid version of Fortnite, but was released separately as a free title. Epic Games launched the mode after two months of development, later assigning a dedicated team to support its rapid growth. The game expanded to additional platforms, including consoles and mobile devices, and later introduced cross-platform play and moved to a newer version of the Unreal Engine to improve performance and add new technology.

Fortnite Battle Royale has received widespread attention and commercial success. The game has received widespread attention and commercial success, with hundreds of millions of registered players and significant revenue across multiple platforms. Critics praised the building mechanics, accessibility, frequent content updates, and cross-platform functionality. Critics have also noted concerns about its monetization system, learning curve, and in-game purchases. The game has had a broad cultural reach, appearing in live events, esports, and licensed media, and has been involved in legal disputes related to copyright, platform policies, consumer protection, and digital privacy.

Gameplay

The game revolves around players eliminating their opponents to be the last one standing.

The core gameplay of Fortnite Battle Royale follows the standard structure of the battle royale genre,[5][6] played from a third-person perspective.[5] Matches typically consist of up to 100 players,[7] either competing individually or in squads of two, three, or four.[6][c] Each round begins with players skydiving from a flying "Battle Bus" and landing on the island map.[6][11] The island features a fixed layout with various named landmarks and points of interest. These locations contain randomly scattered chests that hold weapons, shields, and other combat resources.[5][12] Only five items at a time can be stored in the inventory.[5] Weapons are divided into rarities that dictate how much damage they inflict:[6] Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.[13]

The primary objective is to be the last player or team remaining,[7] achieved by either eliminating opponents or avoiding them.[6][11] In solo play, players are immediately eliminated once their health is fully depleted, but in squad modes, they become "downed" and may be revived by teammates or finished off by enemies.[14] Originally, eliminated players were removed from the match entirely, but an update in April 2019 introduced "Reboot Vans" that allow teammates to revive a fallen player. These vans are scarce and typically placed in exposed locations, making the act of reviving a teammate a calculated risk.[15] Throughout the match, the playable area of the map, represented by the eye of a storm, gradually shrinks, and players outside the safe zone take increasing damage over time.[6] This directs the surviving players into tighter spaces, forcing player encounters.[7][11] Hostile NPCs, introduced in February 2020, can be defeated for additional or improved loot,[16] while friendly NPCs, added in December 2020, offer services such as selling items, healing players, or temporarily joining the player as AI-controlled allies.[17]

The player can build structures as defense, buildings, or to gain the high ground over enemies.

Fortnite Battle Royale's main distinction from other battle royale games is the building system, derived from the original Fortnite: Save the World mode.[7] Using the pickaxe, the only item given at the start of each game, nearly every object in the environment can be destroyed and harvested for materials—wood, stone, and metal—[6] which players use to construct temporary structures like walls, ramps, floors, and roofs. These structures can serve to navigate the terrain, block incoming fire, or hinder enemy movement.[5] Lighter materials allow for quick builds but are easily destroyed, while stronger materials are more durable but slower to place.[18]

Fortnite Battle Royale is free-to-play and monetized via microtransactions, allowing players to purchase "V-Bucks,"[7] a shared currency also usable in Save the World. Players can earn V-Bucks in Save the World by completing missions and daily objectives,[19] then spend them in Battle Royale on cosmetic upgrades—such as outfits, gliders, emotes, backblings, and pickaxes.[6] The game is structured into chapters, each containing several seasons that typically last ten weeks.[20][21] Every season introduces a new set of cosmetic items available through a "Battle Pass", which players progress through by gaining experience via gameplay or completing different challenges.[5][6] A selection of rewards is free,[22] but purchasing the full Battle Pass with V-Bucks grants access to all tiered rewards,[23] and players can also spend V-Bucks to skip tiers.[24] In December 2020, Epic launched the "Fortnite Crew" subscription, providing members with the latest Battle Pass, a monthly V-Bucks stipend, and exclusive cosmetic content.[25]

Epic Games has continuously added new features to Fortnite Battle Royale, including weapons, vehicles, and items.[11] The company can deploy hotfixes to quickly adjust gameplay elements such as weapon stats and item spawn rates.[26] Items may also be cycled out in a process known as "vaulting" if they are unbalanced or unpopular.[27] In December 2018, Epic simultaneously launched Fortnite Creative, a mode allowing players to create anything they wanted,[28] and "The Block", a rotating showcase of community-made creations added to the Battle Royale map.[29] One year later, Epic released the "Battle Lab" mode, which allowed players to design custom battle royale experiences,[30] but this was removed due to the expanded capabilities of Creative mode.[31] In April 2020, Epic introduced "Party Royale," a separate, combat-free map designed for social interaction and live events, where players can use non-lethal items such as paint guns and vehicles.[32] Before September 2019, matchmaking was primarily determined by platform and region, but an update introduced skill-based matchmaking, using internal metrics to evaluate player performance. Epic also added AI-controlled bots into regular matches, allowing new or less experienced players to practice mechanics and strategies more comfortably.[33]

Special modes

Epic Games has introduced several distinct game modes to Fortnite since 2022, starting with "Zero Build" in March 2022.[34] This mode removed the traditional building mechanics and added an "overshield" feature, giving an additional regenerating set of HP.[35] Initially replacing standard Battle Royale during the first week of Chapter 3 Season 2, Zero Build became a permanent standalone option in April 2022.[36] Epic later added the Zero Build Trials and a competitive Arena mode in July 2022.[37] In May 2023, a "Ranked" mode was introduced for both standard and Zero Build gameplay across all team sizes, adjusting matchmaking based on player performance. Ranked mode was eventually extended to newer game types.[38]

Several new modes followed in 2024. "Fortnite Reload," launched in June, features a compact map based on the original island, with 40-player matches, limited weapon selection, and automatic respawns except in the final moments. It supports solo, duo, squad, Zero Build, and Ranked gameplay.[39] In December 2024, "Fortnite OG" debuted with Chapter 6, bringing back the original Chapter 1 map with rotating seasonal changes and mostly legacy mechanics and items. Like Reload, it supports multiple playstyles, including Ranked.[40][41]

Beyond permanent modes, Epic has experimented with limited-time modes (LTMs) within the game. These temporary game modes allow developers to test new ideas and gather player feedback.[42] One of the earliest LTMs was 50v50, which divided players into two large teams and placed them on opposite sides of the map. Teams had time to gather resources, build defenses, and prepare for battle before the storm forced confrontation.[43] In June 2018, Epic released the Playground LTM, a sandbox-style mode for up to four players to explore, build freely, and engage in combat with respawns enabled. This mode was later made permanent,[44] but was eventually replaced by Battle Lab in 2019.[45] A preliminary competitive mode, Solo Showdown, ran for a limited time starting in May 2018, ranking players by their final placement in matches and rewarding the top-placing competitors with V-Bucks.[46]

Seasonal changes and promotional events

Main article: Fortnite seasonal events

Fortnite Battle Royale has created a larger loose narrative that is exhibited through changes in the game map, which generally correlated to the start and end of the in-game season. For example, in the lead up to the fourth season of the first chapter which started in May 2018, players saw a number of shooting stars cross the skies, followed by a giant comet that neared the ground; upon the start of that season, the comet had hit one of the locations on the map, leaving a giant crater, among other changes. This coincided with the introduction of superhero- and supervillain-themed cosmetic items.[47] Epic has the ability to create custom events that occur across all game servers simultaneously as well; the first such event involved a countdown culminating in the launch of a rocket in June 2018. The aftermath of this event created cracks in the sky, which eventually expanded into a "rift" that served as the narrative basis for Season 5.[48]

Shortly after the release of the film Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Epic ran a Marvel-sponsored event that featured the Infinity Gauntlet that randomly spawned on the map; any player that equipped it became Thanos with added abilities.[49] A second Avengers-based mode was released upon the release of Avengers: Endgame (2019), where players are randomly split between Avenger and Chitauri armies, seeking out the Infinity Stones or the Infinity Gauntlet.[50] Since then, Fortnite Battle Royale has periodically included limited-time promotional content from various entertainment properties, typically timed to coincide with media premieres. These properties have included John Wick,[51] Stranger Things,[52] Star Wars,[53] The Matrix,[54] and Family Guy,[55] among many others.[56][57]

Fortnite Battle Royale has also hosted numerous non-gameplay-related promotional events, primarily in the form of virtual concerts, film previews, and branded media showcases. These events began with EDM artist Marshmello's in-game concert in February 2019,[58] which attracted over 10 million players.[59] Subsequent performances have included Metallica,[60] Travis Scott,[61] and Ariana Grande,[62] often drawing millions of live viewers[63] and offering themed cosmetic items.[64][65] Several of these concerts debuted new songs or leveraged extended reality production, with events like Scott's show "Astronomical" using unique visual effects.[66] These events are typically held within the "Party Royale" mode, with arists like Diplo,[67] Steve Aoki,[68] Deadmau5,[69] and BTS, who premiered a special choreography video for "Dynamite", using the platform.[70]

Additionally, Fortnite Battle Royale has served as a platform for broader media and brand partnerships. Star Wars content debuted in-game alongside a live preview of The Rise of Skywalker, hosted by Geoff Keighley and the movie's director J. J. Abrams,[71] as did a trailer for Christopher Nolan's movie Tenet.[72] Disney used a UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) experience in 2024 to livestream a segment of its D23 Entertainment Showcase, unveiling Marvel-themed game content[73] and distributing free cosmetics to attendees.[74] Other branded collaborations have included performances or features tied to Karol G,[75] Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, and Juice Wrld.[76] Epic started a weekly Fortnite Spotlight in-game concert event series in September 2020 using "Party Royale", with concerts from various musicians planned for free for any player of Fortnite to watch. According to Nate Nanzer, Epic Games head of global partnerships, "[they are] creating this platform to work with artists — big artists and up-and-coming artists."[77]

Development

See also: Fortnite: Save the World § Development

Fortnite had first been announced by Epic Games in 2011,[78] considered to be a combination of Minecraft and Left 4 Dead, with four players cooperating to scavenge resources and build fortifications, traps, weapons, and other objects to survive attacks from monsters.[79][80] The game experienced a prolonged development period due to external industry pressures, including a shift toward a games-as-a-service model, and internal changes within Epic, such as a shift in focus to their first free-to-play title, Paragon. During this time, Epic reached an agreement with Tencent, granting the company approximately 40% ownership in exchange for support in transitioning to a games-as-a-service model and access to the Chinese video game market.[81] In June 2017, Epic confirmed that Fortnite was planned for release in 2018, with a paid early access period starting one month later. The game was otherwise intended to be a free-to-play title supported by microtransactions. Upon entering early access, the game featured its primary gameplay mode, "Save the World", in which teams of up to four players worked cooperatively to survive and complete objectives on procedurally generated maps.[82][83]

During the later parts of Fortnite’s development, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds was released in early access on personal computers in March 2017 and quickly became a popular and successful example of the battle royale genre. In mid-2017, Epic Games' CCO Donald Mustard, CEO Tim Sweeney, and two other executives were traveling by Uber to a meeting with Disney in California to discuss potential opportunities when they decided to create a battle royale mode for Fortnite. During the three-hour ride, Mustard wrote a one-page design document that they intended to present to Disney; the idea for the Battle Bus came from seeing a school bus during the ride.[84] According to Mustard, the Epic team "loved Battle Royale games like [Battlegrounds]", and began exploring how a similar mode could be integrated into Fortnite's engine. Development of the mode was kept separate from the main player-versus-environment content to allow experimentation without affecting game balance.[85]

The development of Fortnite Battle Royale was led by Eric Williamson, with Zack Estep serving as production lead. Their objective was to develop the new mode quickly based on the existing "Save the World" mode, putting off any complex features that weren't already in place as to launch the new mode as soon as possible; while they explored such potential ideas, they held off inclusion until after the main mode was launched.[42] Development began in July 2017, after "Save the World" was released, and lasted about two months, with assistance from the Unreal Tournament team.[86][87] Key differences for Battle Royale that differed from "Save the World" included a more limited progression for weapons, a small subset of traps, and a smoother, more natural terrain for the maps.[42] They aimed for matches lasting no longer than 25 minutes, which influenced decisions about which elements from "Save the World" would be excluded.[42] They had included Fortnite Battle Royale's building mechanic for fortifications, unsure how players would use it since the safe zone would continue shrinking, but found quickly that the mechanic helped to distinguish the game from Battlegrounds and was used by expert players frequently to win matches. Epic later added features to help players build temporary bases more easily.[42]

Fortnite Battle Royale at the 2018 Game Developers Conference

In those two months of development, Epic initially planned to include the Battle Royale mode within the paid version of Fortnite and announced this publicly in early September 2017. Two weeks before the mode's release, Epic chose to launch it as a separate free-to-play title, concerned that including it in the paid version would hinder its growth.[87] Epic formally announced this decision about a week after the initial announcement of Battle Royale, offering refunds to those who had purchased early access in anticipation of the new mode.[88] This release, which beat out Battlegrounds to consoles, caused some concern with Battlegrounds developer Bluehole, as they had been working closely with Epic for Unreal engine support in Battlegrounds, and were worried that Fortnite might be able to include planned features to their Battle Royale mode before they could release them in Battlegrounds.[89][90]

By early 2018, Fortnite Battle Royale had become popular, and Epic assigned a dedicated development team to focus on improvements for the mode.[91] Epic acknowledged that its focus on Fortnite had resulted in decreased player activity in some of its other games, leading to reduced development for those titles, particularly Paragon.[92] In January 2018, Epic announced that Paragon would be shut down by April of that year and that all players would receive refunds.[93] Similarly, Epic announced it had halted development of the planned free-to-play Unreal Tournament game, transitioning its team to work on Fortnite, although the game would remain available, playable, and open to user modifications.[94] Players on a Fortnite-dedicated Reddit forum had expressed concerns that a similar fate could befall the Save the World mode of Fortnite, as the mode had not received the same level of updates and improvements as Battle Royale since its release.[95]

According to Mustard, from the outset of Fortnite Battle Royale's development, Epic intended to include a narrative, with a long-term story planned by Mustard. However, they recognized that most players were primarily focused on the core mechanics of the game. As a result, they chose to present players as observers of in-game events rather than central characters. The story would be conveyed through non-player characters and other media. The narrative was designed to be adaptable, allowing for responses to player feedback and integration of promotional collaborations, all of which were tied to a multiverse concept that was part of the overarching narrative. The inclusion of narrative elements led the team to develop new methods for storytelling, such as single-time global events and specialized single-player missions.[96] On June 29, 2020, Epic announced that it no longer considered "Save the World" to be in early access and simultaneously removed the early access labels from both Battle Royale and Creative modes.[97] With the launch of Chapter 3 on December 5, 2021, Epic transitioned the game to Unreal Engine 5.[98]

Localization

Tencent, who is a partial owner of Epic Games, brought Fortnite Battle Royale to China in 2018; the company was already involved in supporting Battlegrounds in China as well. Tencent planned to spend up to US$15 million to help promote the game in China, set up eSports tournaments, and fight against copyright infringement and clones of Fortnite that have appeared in the country.[99] Epic also worked with Neowiz Games to bring a version of Fortnite to South Korea, launched in November 2018.[100][101] Tencent announced in October 2021 that the Chinese version of Fortnite, which had never left the beta phase and had a number of functional differences from international versions of the game, would be shutting down on November 15, 2021, disallowing new user registration. This move came after new regulations and restrictions made by the Chinese government towards online gaming.[102][103]

Ports

Fortnite Battle Royale was released for the Nintendo Switch on June 12, 2018, following widespread rumors leading up to E3 that year. Announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation, the game supported cross-platform play with all systems except PlayStation 4. Using their Epic Games account, players could transfer their inventory, Battle Pass progress, and in-game currency between compatible platforms. It was the first game on the Switch to offer direct voice chat, using software provided by Vivox.[104] After the release, Vivox made its voice chat software development kit available to other developers creating Switch games.[105] Additionally, in March 2018, Epic announced that Fortnite Battle Royale would be developed for Android and iOS mobile devices.[106] The iOS beta version came first,[107] becoming widely available on April 2, 2018,[108] while the Android beta version released on August 9, initially exclusive to select Samsung devices.[109][110] Invitations to other Android users began on August 13,[111] and by October 11, the Android version became available to all users without an invite.[112]

Initially, Epic did not distribute the Android version through the Google Play Store, instead offering it via a sideloaded installer on its website, or through Samsung's Galaxy Apps store.[113][114] Epic cited a desire for its microtransactions not to be subject to the Google Play Store's 30% revenue share, which it considered disproportionate to the services provided by the store.[115] Epic wanted an exemption from Google's revenue cut for in-app purchases, a request Google declined.[116] Within a month of launch, at least 32 clones of Fortnite’s installer appeared on the Google Play Store,[117] with approximately half containing malware. Epic's installer included warnings to encourage users to re-enable device security settings and to avoid unofficial downloads.[118] A vulnerability in the original installer, discovered by Google, was patched by Epic within 48 hours, and no exploitation was reported.[119] In April 2020, Epic reversed its decision and released Fortnite on Google Play, stating that distributing the game outside the store placed third-party software at a disadvantage due to security warnings and limitations imposed by Google.[120]

According to analysis firm Sensor Tower, the iOS version of Fortnite Battle Royale generated an estimated US$1 million in microtransaction revenue within the first three days after in-app purchases became available. Glixel considered this performance notable compared to the early revenues of other popular mobile games, such as Pokémon Go and Clash Royale, which earned US$4.9 million and US$4.6 million respectively in their first four days.[121] Within one month, the mobile version had generated over US$25 million, surpassing the early performance of several other top-grossing mobile games.[122][123] In May 2020, Epic announced that Fortnite would be ported to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles in conjunction with the unveiling of Unreal Engine 5. These versions were planned to be available at the launch of the new consoles in late 2020. Initially, they would run on Unreal Engine 4, with a transition to Unreal Engine 5 expected by mid-2021, following the engine's release.[124] Fortnite officially moved to Unreal Engine 5 with the launch of Chapter 3 in December 2021.[98] On June 5, 2025, Fortnite was released as a launch game on the Nintendo Switch 2.[125]

Cross-platform play

For the first five seasons, all ports of Fortnite Battle Royale supported cross-platform play with other versions, but with limited interaction with the PlayStation 4. Players on personal computer and mobile versions could cross-play with Xbox One and Nintendo Switch users, or alternatively they could cross-play with PlayStation 4 users.[106][126] While Epic Games had expressed interest in having full cross-platform play across all available platforms, Sony's continued refusal to allow cross-play between the PlayStation 4 and other consoles rendered this impossible, according to Microsoft.[106] Further, while players could use a single Epic Games account to share progress in Fortnite Battle Royale on all other platforms, those who used their PlayStation Network credentials to establish their Epic account could not have used that account on other platforms.[127] The account restriction was confirmed to be as a result of Sony's initial decision to prohibit cross-platform play between its PlayStation 4 and other consoles, rather than a choice Epic had made.[127][128]

By September 2018, Sony announced it would permit cross-platform play on the PlayStation 4 for "select third-party titles," beginning with Fortnite. A beta version of the PlayStation 4 client that supported cross-platform functionality was released on September 26, 2018, the same day as Sony's announcement.[129] Epic released tools in February 2019 to allow users to merge multiple Epic accounts and to unlink console accounts from an Epic account for use with another console.[130][131] The first full patch adding in cross-platform play support across all consoles was released the next month.[132] Solo mobile players, or squads made up entirely of mobile players, are by default matched only with other mobile players to maintain fairness; however, players can choose to join squads on other platforms using cross-platform play, and matchmaking will take all available matches into account.[133] With the March 2019 update enabling cross-platform play, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players were then matched with each other by default, to avoid placing them at a disadvantage against computer users.[132]

Promotion and cross-media expansion

Promotion and marketing

In May 2018, Epic announced a partnership with the sports apparel manufacturing company IMG to produce official Fortnite-themed clothing.[134] A Hasbro-licensed Fortnite Battle Royale-themed version of Monopoly was announced for release by late 2018; the Fortnite Monopoly game includes elements from the video game, such as replacing money with players’ lives and allowing properties to be protected using walls.[135] As part of the same agreement, Hasbro also produced Fortnite-based Nerf blasters, which became available in retail stores in 2019.[136] Funko released a series of Fortnite themed Pop! figurines in late 2018.[137] Fortnite Battle Royale has been included in special bundles for both the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, with each version offering redeemable codes for V-Bucks and customization options exclusive to that platform.[138][139] A retail release of Fortnite Battle Royale, called Fortnite: Deep Freeze Bundle, was distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in late 2018. The package included a redeemable code for V-Bucks and unique in-game cosmetics.[140]

In October 2018, Epic introduced the "Support a Creator" program for Fortnite. Players could choose one of several popular Fortnite streamers, selected through an application process managed by Epic, to support via the in-game client. These creators earned money based on how many V-Bucks their supporters spent, at a rate of US$5 for every 10,000 V-Bucks spent (equivalent to approximately 5% of the total value).[141] Though the initiative was initially planned as a limited-time event, by December 2018 Epic reported that millions of players had used the feature to support more than 10,000 creators. As a result, Epic made the program a permanent option for Fortnite, with the intention of helping some creators transition to full-time content creation,[142] and plans to extend this program to other games offered via the Epic Games Store, including Tom Clancy's The Division 2.[143] In November 2018, Epic partnered with the National Football League (NFL) to release character outfits for each of the league's 32 teams, along with original "Fortnite Team" outfits, which were available for a limited time. This collaboration was influenced by the popularity of Fortnite among NFL players, many of whom had performed Fortnite dance emotes as touchdown celebrations.[144]

Esports

The Fortnite Pro-Am event at E3 2018

One of the first professional esports events for Fortnite was the Fortnite Pro-Am, held on June 12, 2018, during E3 2018, with 3,000 attendees.[22] The tournament was announced following the success of the streamer Ninja's March 2018 stream featuring celebrities such as Drake. The event paired 50 celebrities with 50 top streamers to compete for a US$3 million, with winnings donated to the teams’ chosen charities.[145] Ninja and his celebrity teammate Marshmello won this event.[146] Additional Pro-Am events were held at E3 2019 in June 2019[147] and the Galen Center at the University of Southern California in May 2025.[148]

In May 2018, Epic announced it would allocate US$100 million to fund Fortnite Battle Royale tournaments throughout the year to support its development as an esport.[149] The first Fortnite World Cup was announced in February 2019, with qualifying rounds from April through June and finals held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City from July 26–28, 2019. The total prize pool was US$30 million, including US$3 million each for the winners of the solo and duo competitions.[150][151]

In mid-2018, Epic launched the Summer Skirmish series, an eight-week tournament with different formats each week and a total prize pool of US$8 million. The series experienced early issues; the first week was cut short due to server problems, and the second week ended amid accusations of cheating, which Epic later confirmed were unfounded.[152] Epic followed with the Fall Skirmish series, starting on September 21, 2018, offering up to US$10 million in prizes.[153] Beginning with Season X in August 2019, Epic introduced the Fortnite Champion Series, with various competitive formats, such as three-player squads in the first series, along with weekly qualifiers and final tournaments held across multiple geographic regions.[154] Through PlayVS, Epic started sponsporing high school and college-level Fortnite tournaments in the United States in 2020.[155]

Comics

Epic Games and DC Comics partnered on a six-issue crossover comic series, Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point, which began distribution in April 2021. Written by Christos Gage in collaboration with Epic's Donald Mustard, each issue included a code to unlock in-game items in Fortnite Battle Royale. Players who purchased all six issues or the collected hardcover edition received a code for a Batman outfit.[156] The series received a sequel in October 2021, Batman/Fortnite: Foundation, a standalone comic that also included a redeemable code for a The Batman Who Laughs outfit.[157] An earlier collaboration between Epic and Marvel produced Nexus War: Thor, a comic featuring Thor within the Fortnite universe.[158]

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

See also: Reception and accolades for Fortnite

Fortnite Battle Royale received generally positive reviews from critics. Daniel Tack of Game Informer called it "immediately understandable" and praised its replayability, stating that the unpredictable nature of each match gave the game a lasting appeal.[11] Michael Higham of GameSpot observed that its lighthearted presentation and building tools made for a "uniquely chaotic" experience, though he noted the gameplay relied more on improvisation than precision.[167] Austen Goslin of IGN described Fortnite Battle Royale as "a chaotic and fun system" and remarked that its speed and simplicity helped distinguish it from other battle royale games.[5]

The building system drew both praise and criticism. Higham argued that it "always gives you the opportunity to improvise," enabling players to create cover or elevation mid-fight,[167] and Goslin wrote that "Fortnite is more about building than it is about shooting."[5] Dave Aubrey of Pocket Gamer, however, pointed out that the constantly shrinking play area often made permanent structures impractical, saying "settling down and building a nice fort… isn’t really practical."[168] While Gavin Lane of Nintendo Life admired the flexibility of construction, he noted that the interface was difficult to grasp for new players, and the lack of tutorials could make early matches confusing.[169]

Critics had differing views on map design and pacing. Higham described the map as lacking "sophistication in physical layouts," noting that loot placement could feel uneven between locations.[167] Goslin, by contrast, appreciated the distinct visual identity of the named locations, and felt that even with a single map, variation emerged through player behavior.[5] Ford James of GamesRadar+ emphasized how often Fortnite's structure and meta changed, pointing out that "nothing stays the same… weapons come and go, items are vaulted, and tactics shift month to month."[27] Opinions were also mixed on the game's free-to-play model. While Goslin called the Battle Pass "a neat structure" that rewarded consistent play,[5] James expressed concern about social pressure, especially among younger players, noting that "if kids don’t spend real money… they’ll be ridiculed."[27] daFrans of Jeuxvideo.com criticized the price of premium skins, stating that "for the most expensive outfits, we still exceed €20," but acknowledged that none of the items affected gameplay.[14] Most reviewers agreed that monetization was cosmetic-only, but not all felt it was unobtrusive.[14][169][170]

The technical performance across platforms was generally seen as stable, with caveats. On the Nintendo Switch, reviewers like Aubrey and Tommaso Pugliese from Multiplayer.it found that the game "runs relatively well" at 30 frames per second, despite reduced graphical fidelity.[168][171] Lane noted the absence of motion-assisted aiming and found the handheld experience limited by resolution and input precision, but concluded that "performance is perfectly acceptable."[169] Across platforms, critics emphasized that Fortnite's mechanics remained functional and recognizable, even when visual quality varied.[5][167]

Player count and revenue

Fortnite Battle Royale attracted non-traditional video game players, drawing comparisons by analysts to World of Warcraft and Minecraft.[172] It gained over 10 million players within two weeks of release.[173] By March 2018, the player base exceeded 45 million,[174] and three months later, in June 2018, Epic Games reported over 125 million players, with 40 million active monthly.[175] By November, Fortnite had over 200 million registered accounts.[176] At the 2019 Game Developers Conference, Tim Sweeney announced 250 million players, with 35% female, the highest known percentage for a shooter game.[177] By May 2020, registered players exceeded 350 million.[178] By the end of 2020, total revenue from Fortnite, including Battle Royale surpassed $9 billion.[179]

Platform-specific launches generated immediate user increases, with the Nintendo Switch version receiving over 2 million downloads within one day.[180] The Android version reached over 15 million downloads in three weeks.[181] During the release of Season 5 in July 2018, Akamai Technologies recorded traffic nearing 37 terabytes per second, the highest for any video game they had observed.[182] Nintendo reported in its quarterly earnings for September 30, 2018, that Fortnite had been downloaded on approximately half of all sold Switch consoles, totaling about 11.5 million downloads.[183] In November 2018, Fortnite became available in South Korea's PC bangs. Shortly thereafter, Epic reported a peak concurrent player count of 8.3 million, surpassing the previous record of 3.4 million in February 2018.[101] In February 2018, analysis firm SuperData estimated Fortnite Battle Royale earned over $126 million, exceeding Battlegrounds’ $103 million.[184] March revenues surpassed $223 million.[185] By April 2018, Fortnite led Battlegrounds in both revenue and player count across all platforms.[186]

Revenues reached $296 million in April and $318 million in May.[187][188] By July 2018, cumulative revenue exceeded $1 billion.[22][189] Sensor Tower estimated that Fortnite on mobile devices generated over $1.2 million daily prior to Season 5 in July 2018, increasing to $2 million daily afterward.[190] SuperData reported Fortnite earned $2.4 billion in 2018, the highest annual revenue for a free-to-play title.[191] In 2019, revenue declined 25% to $1.8 billion due to market stabilization but remained the highest for the year.[192] Epic Games was valued at $825 million in 2012 at the time of Tencent's investment.[193] By May 2018, due to Fortnite Battle Royale, the valuation rose to $4.5 billion.[194] Bloomberg projected an $8.5 billion valuation by the end of 2018 if Fortnite reached $2 billion in annual revenue.[193] Partially due to the influx of revenue from Fortnite Battle Royale, Epic reduced its portion of sales it collected from the Unreal Engine Marketplace from 30% to 12% in July 2018, applying that retroactively to past sales.[195]

Impact

The Fortnite exhibition booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018

Journalists attributed Fortnite Battle Royale’s success over PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds to several factors. In addition to being free-to-play and available on consoles, Fortnite was released while Battlegrounds was experiencing issues with cheating and a toxic player community. Its less violent, cartoon-like style, similar to Minecraft, also helped attract a younger and more gender-diverse audience.[196][197] The surge in Fortnite's popularity in March 2018, which drew larger audiences than multiplayer titles like Grand Theft Auto Online and Destiny 2, had financial effects on competitors.[198]

Analysts from Morgan Stanley and KeyBanc Capital Markets reported stock declines for Take-Two Interactive and Activision Blizzard during this period.[174][194] In May 2018, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick acknowledged Fortnite as significant competition and credited it with attracting new players to gaming, stating that the company was exploring its own battle royale game.[199][200] Electronic Arts CEO Blake Jorgensen similarly pointed at Fortnite’s market impact, saying it was bringing younger players into first-person shooters and benefiting the long-term health of the genre.[201]

Fortnite’s success has also been linked to its influence on social media.[172] By March 2018, it became the most-viewed game on Twitch, surpassing League of Legends and Battlegrounds in average concurrent viewers.[202] The streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins gained prominence as an early Fortnite figure, attracting a large subscriber base through his gameplay and Twitch promotions offering cosmetic items. By March 2018, he was estimated to be earning $500,000 per month,[203] and by the end of the year had reportedly made nearly $10 million, with over 20 million subscribers across YouTube and Twitch.[204] In 2019, Time included Blevins in its Time 100 list of the most influential people.[205] To recognize public figures who helped promote Fortnite, Epic introduced the "Icon Series," featuring in-game cosmetics based on real individuals, including Blevins, the musicians Marshmello and Major Lazer, the streamer Loserfruit, and a planned release for David "Grefg" Martínez.[206]

Fortnite cosplayers at E3 2018

A number of celebrities and athletes have publicly stated they play Fortnite, including Chance the Rapper, Joe Jonas, Finn Wolfhard, Roseanne Barr, and Norm Macdonald.[207] Some athletes have even incorporated Fortnite emotes into their on-field celebration dances.[208] These gestures were prominently featured during the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[209] including by Antoine Griezmann after scoring a penalty kick in the final match.[210] Other notable fans include the Russo brothers, directors of Avengers: Infinity War, who played the game during production breaks. Their interest led to the creation of Fortnite's limited-time Thanos mode and their later involvement in directing the Chapter 2 Season 6 cinematic trailer.[49][211] The visibility of Fortnite among high-profile figures has contributed to its continued popularity and player growth.[212]

Fortnite Battle Royale has been jokingly referred to as "Fork Knife" on social media, believed to have originated with people, unfamiliar with the game, described their friends and family spending time playing the game.[213] Epic added a harvestable, non-playable "Fork Knife" food truck to the game map as the term gained popularity.[22] In September 2018, Fortnite was featured as a question on the game show Jeopardy!,[214] and was spoofed in a skit on the September 29, 2018, episode of Saturday Night Live.[215] The South Park episode "The Scoots" featured the cast wearing Fortnite-based Halloween costumes.[216] In The Big Bang Theory episode "The Citation Negation", Bernadette attempts to learn how to play Fortnite Battle Royale to beat Howard.[217] Fortnite also makes an easter egg appearance in the Disney animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet.[218] The game was also a central focal point in the 2018 YouTube Rewind year retrospective, and included an appearance by the streamer Ninja.[219]

See also: Epic Games v. Apple and Epic Games v. Google

Following Fortnite Battle Royale’s release on mobile platforms, the game gained significant popularity among younger players due to its free-to-play model, cartoon-like visuals, and social gameplay.[220] Reports emerged of the game disrupting classroom environments and affecting students’ ability to complete homework,[221][222] prompting Epic to include loading screen messages discouraging play during school hours.[223] In 2018, the UK's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport raised concerns about excessive screen time associated with Fortnite Battle Royale and similar games.[224] Organizations such as the U.S. Center on Media and Child Health and the UK's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) warned that the game's violent content could influence children's behavior.[225] A Canadian law firm later filed a class-action lawsuit against Epic, alleging the game was designed to be addictive without adequate warnings;[226] courts allowed the case to proceed in December 2022.[227]

Some parents and guardians have cited positive aspects of Fortnite Battle Royale, such as its capacity to facilitate socialization beyond regular peer groups and its comparatively low level of violence.[228] Others used the game as a reward system,[229] or viewed it as a potential avenue for children to develop competitive gaming skills, prompting the emergence of paid tutors.[230] However, the game's role as a social space raised concerns about peer pressure and bullying, especially around cosmetic items. In-game purchases, particularly rare outfits, became status symbols among players, leading some children to spend money to avoid stigma associated with default skins.[231] Fortnite Battle Royale’s monetization system has been described as encouraging continued spending in a social competition context.[232] Additional concerns include children's vulnerability to security risks, including phishing schemes and data breaches,[233] as well as the potential for contact with online predators, with at least one documented case.[234] On November 16, 2023, Epic introduced an age-restriction system limiting the use of certain skins in user-generated content,[235] but reversed the change five days later following widespread criticism.[236]

Since March 2018, Fortnite Battle Royale has been targeted by hackers seeking to access and resell accounts with valuable cosmetic items.[237] Authorities have identified the game as a conduit for credit card fraud, with criminals using stolen credit data to purchase in-game currency and then selling it at a discount through third-party platforms.[238][239] Security firms, such as Check Point, identified vulnerabilities allowing unauthorized access to accounts, including voice chat interception and fraudulent purchases. Epic patched a major vulnerability by January 2019,[240] but a class-action lawsuit was filed in August of that year over its failure to notify affected users.[241] Epic has also taken enforcement action against players using cheating software, including aimbots, through legal complaints and in-game bans.[242] Several people filed lawsuits over the use of popular dance emotes in the game, including 2 Milly,[243][244] Donald Faison,[245] Alfonso Ribeiro,[246] Russell Horning ("Backpack Kid"),[247] and the parent of the creator of the "Orange Justice" dance,[248] among many others, claiming unauthorized use of choreography.[d] While Epic sought dismissal on the grounds that simple dance moves are not copyrightable,[254][255] many of these lawsuits were withdrawn following a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring copyright registration before filing infringement claims.[256]

In August 2020, Epic reduced V-Bucks prices by 20% on all platforms except the iOS App Store and Google Play, simultaneously introducing a direct payment option to bypass the standard 30% platform fee.[257] Apple and Google responded by removing Fortnite Battle Royale from their respective stores,[258][259] prompting Epic to file lawsuits accusing both companies of anti-competitive behavior.[260][261] Courts denied Epic's request to reinstate the game on iOS,[262] and a 2021 ruling permanently barred Apple from prohibiting developers from directing users to alternative payment systems.[263] Meanwhile, Epic worked with Nvidia and Microsoft to make Fortnite Battle Royale accessible via browser-based cloud gaming.[264] Fortnite Battle Royale returned to the App Store in the U.S. in May 2025.[265] Other legal disputes have included a copyright lawsuit by PUBG Corp.,[266][267] later dropped,[268] and several cases involving breaches of non-disclosure agreements by testers who leaked unreleased content.[269][270][271] Epic also pursued legal action against individuals and YouTubers distributing cheat software and selling modified accounts.[272][273][274] In 2025, Epic introduced a Darth Vader character using generative AI based on James Earl Jones’ recordings, which led to the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA filing a complaint, stating that although Jones had approved use of his voice for posthumous AI replication, Epic was still required to negotiate licensing terms with the union.[275]

Notes

  1. ^ Retail versions published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.[1]
  2. ^ a b c The iOS and Android clients were removed by Apple and Google respectively on August 13, 2020, as Epic had changed how one could buy V-bucks with the client, leading Epic to file a lawsuit against Apple. In April 2025, courts ruled that Apple cannot block third-party storefronts nor take fees from them, and Epic announced plans to bring Fortnite back to the platform shortly afterwards.[3][4] The macOS version will be unable to be updated. See Epic Games v. Apple. The game remained playable if one had already downloaded it. On Android, while it is no longer available on Google Play, it remains available via the Samsung Galaxy Store on Samsung Galaxy devices as well as directly from the Epic Games App on all other Android devices.
  3. ^ Originally, there was no option for a "trios" mode. However, it was added in December 2018.[8] It was removed in May 2023, when the option for Ranked modes was added,[9] but the mode added back two weeks later in non-Ranked games.[10]
  4. ^ Including:
    • Rapper BlocBoy JB sued Epic in January 2019, asserting that the "Hype" emote was based on his "Shoot" dance.[249]
    • Basketball players Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley sought $20 million in damages over Fortnite’s use of the "Running Man" dance.[250]
    • Saxophone player Leo Pellegrino filed suit not over a specific dance move, but alleging misappropriation of his trademarked likeness through an in-game emote that featured a dancing saxophone player.[251] A federal district judge ruled in March 2020 that Fortnite sufficiently transforms Pellegrino's move from his overall likeness to qualify for First Amendment protections, and summarily ruled against all but one of Pellegrino's other claims.[252]
    • Choreographer Kyle Hanagami sued Epic, claiming that Fortnite emotes used his original choreography. It was initially dismissed by a federal district court, but was overruled by the Ninth Circuit in November 2023, who argued that while individual poses of a dance move cannot be copyrighted, the overall choreography of a full dance could be copyrightable, allowing the case against Epic to continue forward.[253]

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