Fortnite becomes the top-grossing free game in the world after raking in $2.4 BILLION in 2018 as Netflix says hit game is bigger competition than HBO and Amazon
- A new report found Fortnite was the top-grossing free-to-play game in the world
- Battle royale game raked in a whopping $2.4 billion over 2018, SuperData found
- Fortnite's rise has caught the attention of Netflix, which said in its latest earnings release that the hugely successful game is now one of its biggest competitors
Fortnite continues to smash records left and right.
A new report from gaming data firm SuperData found that the massively successful battle royale game was the top-grossing free-to-play game in the world in 2018.
In total, Fortnite raked in a whopping $2.4 billion over the course of 2018, according to SuperData.
What's more, Fortnite's status as a pop culture phenomenon is catching the attention of the likes of Netflix, who said in an earnings report released Thursday that it considers the game to be bigger competition than media giants HBO and Disney, as well as Amazon.
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Fortnite continues to smash records left and right. In total, the wildly successful free-to-play game raked in a whopping $2.4 billion between 2017 and 2018, according to SuperData
Fortnite's user base has skyrocketed alongside its revenues.
In November, it was reported that Fortnite had amassed 200 million users, which is a 60 percent jump from the 125 million users it had in June.
Much of its revenue comes from in-app purchases like including new skins, dance moves and accessories for in-game avatars. The most expensive in-app item is £99.99 ($130).
However, SuperData said that 34 percent of all US players purchased a 'battle pass,' which rewards players for playing during a 'season,' with prizes like exclusive challenges, among other things.
Fortnite eclipsed other free games in terms of revenue throughout 2018.
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A new report from gaming data firm SuperData found that the massively successful battle royale game was the top-grossing free-to-play game in the world in 2018
'The games and interactive media industry grew 13% in 2018 as Fortnite disrupted the status quo,' SuperData explained.
'The red-hot battle royale title generated the most annual revenue of any game in history and popularized gaming video content (GVC) among mainstream audiences.'
Fortnite's closest competitor, 'Dungeon Fighter Online,' earned $1.5 billion vs. Fornite's $2.4 billion, while League of Legends brought in $1.4 billion.
By comparison, Pokémon Go, also a global sensation, brought in a meager $1.3 billion.
Fortnite has captured the attention of adults and children alike since it was first released in 2017.
Fortnite (pictured) is one of the most popular online video games. In November, Fortnite amassed 200 million users, which is a 60% jump from the 125 million users it had in June
Enough that Netflix is now considering Fortnite a major competitor, according to its latest earnings release.
'We earn consumer screen time, both mobile and television, away from a very broad set of competitors,' Netflix wrote in a letter to shareholders.
'We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO.
'Our focus is not on Disney+, Amazon or others, but on how we can improve our experience for others,' the company added.
Aside from Fortnite, Netflix also called out Google's YouTube as a competitor it's keeping an eye on.
WHAT IS FORTNITE? THE FREE TO PLAY GAME LAUNCHED IN 2017 AND HAS TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM
Fortnite is a game that originally launched as a disk back in July 2017 and was then turned into a free-to-download game by its developer, Epic Games, in September.
There are three forms of the game: 'Battle Royale', 'Save The World' and 'Playground'.
Save the world is the original form of the game and is currently not available to play as part of the free-to-download game, instead it comes as part of a £30 ($40) extra.
It is a co-op mode with a story that's playable solo or online with friends.
Fortnite is a battle royale-style survival shooter where players create a superhero avatar and compete against each other on a dystopian island
Users compete in teams of up to three to complete a variety of missions.
It is rumoured that the game will be added to the free-to-play version of the game in the future.
Whilst Save The World may be the original version of the game, its sister mode is by far the most popular.
Battle Royale is a game of survival where players create a superhero avatar and compete against each other on a dystopian island.
Each game, or 'match' as each competition is known, starts with 100 players.
The aim of the game is to be the last one standing. Users can form allegiances and play in small groups.
To enable this and the interactive experience, the game allows completely open communication between players.
Inspired by the Hunger Games novels and films, gamers search for weapons to help them survive.
Armed with quirky weapons and amusing dances, the game has swept across the gaming world, with children flocking to it.
While there is no exact figure on how many children play Fortnite, the game has so far pulled in an audience of over 125 million players.
Playground is the latest addition to the game and is a consequence free mode with more loot and unlimited respawning to allow players to get creative.
It involved groups of up to four people working as a team and the players can hone their skills as the practise in advance of entering Battle Royale where they will face better players.
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