Fortnite refers to a videogame series, set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world. It is produced by Epic Games, and uses the company’s signature Unreal Engine. At present, there are two games that fall under the Fortnite umbrella: a team-based survival shooter called Fortnite: Save the World and Fortnite: Battle Royale, which as the name suggests is a last-person-standing game.
The former was released in a paid-for early access version in July 2017. A free-to-play version was anticipated in 2019, but Epic have since announced it will remain a ‘premium experience’. It is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.
It is the latter, however, which has been the real runaway success, becoming one of the most-played games on the planet. The player-vs-player, free-to-play game, launched in September 2017 is available on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch as well as the aforementioned platforms, and can be played across platforms. It sees up to 100 players competing individually or in teams to be the last one/ones standing, combining shooting and construction elements.
While being free-to-play, a range of in-app purchases are available; largely access to cosmetic updates to players’ characters, which are released in limited-editions over 12-week seasons. Players must convert money into in-game currency Vinderbucks (V-Bucks) to make these purchases.
Each of these seasons has a loose narrative plot, and Epic is known to introduce a range of different game modes to add variation, featuring different team-compositions or special add-ons.
Since its launch, millions of players have downloaded the game, which brings in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to its creators every month. It was even big enough to score an official crossover with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (the latter was actually a two-way crossover).
The game was controversially pulled from the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store in August 2020, due to an ongoing dispute between Epic Games and Apple over revenue. The Fortnite developer claims that the 30% cut of in-app sales taken by Apple (and Google) was unfair. The game was ultimately pulled for allowing players discounts on purchases made outside of the app.
The game’s future as a mobile app then, is in doubt – leaving a $1.2 billion gap in the market, according to Sensor Tower. In October 2020, a US judge ruled Apple’s move was lawful and any lost revenue was Epic’s own fault.
We have collected data and statistics on Fortnite. Read on below to find out more.
Fortnite Key Statistics
- Fortnite generated $4.4 billion revenue in 2022, about 85% of Epic Games total revenue
- Before it was banned, Fortnite made $1.1 billion in lifetime mobile revenue
- Fortnite has approximately 650 million registered players, 126 million played once a month in 2023
- Over 60 percent of players are in the 18-24 age bracket
Fortnite Overview
| Title 1 | Title 2 |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 26 September 2017 |
| HQ | Cary, North Carolina |
| Key people | Tim Sweeney (CEO), Donald Mustard (CCO) |
| Business type | Private |
| Parent company | Epic Games |
| Industry | Gaming |
Fortnite Revenue
Fortnite generated $4.4 billion revenue in 2022, it peaked at $5.4 billion in 2018.
Fortnite annual revenue 2018 to 2022 ($bn)
| Year | Revenue ($bn) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 5.4 |
| 2019 | 3.7 |
| 2020 | 3.4 |
| 2021 | 4.8 |
| 2022 | 4.4 |
Note: 2021 and 2022 are estimates. Sources: Epic Games, Sarca
Fortnite Lifetime Mobile Revenue
Fortnite surpassed $1 billion in lifetime mobile revenue before being kicked off both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Fortnite cumulative mobile revenue 2018 to 2020 ($mm)
| Year | Revenue ($mm) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 100 |
| 2019 | 450 |
| 2020 | 1100 |
Note: This references total revenue by June of each year. Source: Sensor Tower
Fortnite Registered Users
Fortnite reached 650 million registered users in 2023, an increase of 150 million in 12 months.
Fortnite registered users 2017 to 2023 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 20 |
| 2018 | 125 |
| 2019 | 250 |
| 2020 | 350 |
| 2021 | 400 |
| 2022 | 500 |
| 2023 | 650 |
Sources: AGBO, Epic Games
Fortnite Monthly Active Players
Fortnite has increased its average monthly active players in 2023 with the OG season drawing in millions of gamers.
Fortnite registered users 2018 to 2023 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 78.3 |
| 2019 | 75.5 |
| 2020 | 80.4 |
| 2021 | 83.3 |
| 2022 | 91 |
| 2023 | 126 |
Sources: Epic Games, Eurogamer
Fortnite Age Demographics
Over 60% of Fortnite’s playerbase is aged between 18-24 years old, although a lot may be younger and lie about their age to get access.
Fortnite age demographics 2022 (%)
| Age | Percentage of users |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 62.7 |
| 25-34 | 22.5 |
| 35-44 | 12.7 |
| 45-54 | 2 |
| 55+ | 0.1 |
Source: Verto Analytics
Fortnite Gender Demographics
A large majority of the Fortnite playerbase is male, and this disparity has increased since its mobile games were banned.
Fortnite gender demographics 2022 (%)
| Gender | Percentage of users |
|---|---|
| Male | 89.7 |
| Female | 10.3 |
Source: Verto Analytics
Fortnite Hours Watched Streaming
Viewers watched over 738 million hours of Fortnite on streaming services in 2022, an increase on the previous year.
Fortnite annual hours streamed (mm)
| Year | Hours watched (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1527 |
| 2020 | 1664 |
| 2021 | 1163 |
| 2022 | 738 |
Note: Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Mixer (til Q3 2020) and Facebook Gaming included. Source: Stream Hatchet
Fortnite FAQ
How many users were on iOS before it was banned?
116 million Fortnite users played on iOS, with 73 million playing exclusively on the platform (Forbes)
What is the record concurrent players?
12.3 million is the record concurrent players, which occurred on April 2020 during the Travis Scott concert
What is the median weekly time spent on Fortnite?
Median weekly time spent playing Fortnite stands at 6-10 hours (LendEDU)
Who is the most popular Fortnite player?
Ninja is the most popular with 24.2 million YouTube subscribers, alongside 16.7 million Twitch followers
How much does Ninja earn streaming?
Ninja reportedly earns $500,000/month from streaming Fortnite over YouTube and Twitch (TubeFilter)
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