Fortnite player distribution in the U.S. 2018, by age group
Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. The Battle Royale game, in which up to 100 players fight it out at one time, is especially loved amongst the younger generations as 62.7 percent of Fortnite players are aged between 18 and 24, and a further 22.5 percent are between 25 and 34.
The rise of Fortnite
Having amassed over 250 million registered users in just two years, it is safe to say that Fortnite is nothing short of a gaming phenomenon. The developers of the hit, Epic Games, certainly picked the right time to enter the market as revenue in the Battle Royale premium console segment amounted to 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and was estimated to more than double to 6.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. Fortnite undoubtedly contributed to this estimated jump in revenue as the game generated 318 million U.S. dollars in May 2018 alone and it also raked in considerable revenue through its mobile game. If Fortnite itself is free to play, how is it generating so much money?
In-game purchases key to success
The answer is in-game purchases. Regular currency will not get you very far in the Fortnite universe, but it will give you access to V-Bucks, which will unlock everything from Fortnite outfits to celebrations (emotes) and gliders. It seems that players are spending their hard-earned money on making their Fortnite characters stand out from the crowd, with over two-thirds of Fortnite fans confessing to spending money on in-game purchases. The most popular upgrades were to the characters themselves and their outfits, whilst almost 10 percent of in-game spending was on emotes, so that the victorious players could celebrate their victories in style.
The rise of Fortnite
Having amassed over 250 million registered users in just two years, it is safe to say that Fortnite is nothing short of a gaming phenomenon. The developers of the hit, Epic Games, certainly picked the right time to enter the market as revenue in the Battle Royale premium console segment amounted to 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and was estimated to more than double to 6.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. Fortnite undoubtedly contributed to this estimated jump in revenue as the game generated 318 million U.S. dollars in May 2018 alone and it also raked in considerable revenue through its mobile game. If Fortnite itself is free to play, how is it generating so much money?
In-game purchases key to success
The answer is in-game purchases. Regular currency will not get you very far in the Fortnite universe, but it will give you access to V-Bucks, which will unlock everything from Fortnite outfits to celebrations (emotes) and gliders. It seems that players are spending their hard-earned money on making their Fortnite characters stand out from the crowd, with over two-thirds of Fortnite fans confessing to spending money on in-game purchases. The most popular upgrades were to the characters themselves and their outfits, whilst almost 10 percent of in-game spending was on emotes, so that the victorious players could celebrate their victories in style.
