Fortnite was the highest-earning game of 2019; generating a historic $1.8 billion in profit last year.
The free to play game earned more money last year than any other game in history, signalling a change in the video game market as Fortnite is a free to play title.
In their annual report which analyses gaming profits, Nielsen’s SuperDate said, “Fortnite’s continuous updates and its battle pass subscription service all served to convert more players. The game has been extremely successful at converting players to spenders.”
As well as being financially lucrative for the creators, Fortnite has also boosted the income of some of its players.
In July of last year, a 15-year-old boy from Essex came in second at the Fortnite World Cup and earned himself a generous prize of £1 million. Read more about 15-year-old Jaden Ashman here.
Fortnite fans were threatened a lot last year and the game was under attack by politicians, parents and the media.
Prince Harry called for the game to be banned due to its addictive nature.
He said, “That game shouldn’t be allowed. Where is the benefit of having it in your household? It’s created to addict, an addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. It’s so irresponsible. It’s like waiting for the damage to be done and kids turning up on your doorsteps and families being broken down.”
The game’s creators were also sued by periled parents who accused them of making the game “as addictive as cocaine.”
Fortnite was subsequently banned in Iraq and China.
Fans were also sent into a frenzy when an in-game blackhole appeared to cease the game to exist. This was later found to be part of a planned update.
For more gaming news, read our news story on the new Playstation 5 controller.