Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Shows

A recent report from the research firm Newzoo suggests that the battle royale genre is experiencing a contraction, yet Fortnite continues to thrive amidst these shifts.

Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025 highlights various trends within the gaming industry, notably a decline in the battle royale genre's playtime. According to Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which tracks data from 37 markets across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox (excluding China and India), the battle royale genre's share of total playtime has decreased from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. Concurrently, the report notes a rise in playtime for shooter games, which together with battle royale games, typically account for 40% of total playtime.

Despite the overall decline in the genre, Fortnite has significantly increased its dominance within the battle royale space. Its share of the genre has surged from 43% in 2021 to an impressive 77% in 2024, indicating that even as the genre shrinks, Fortnite is capturing a larger portion of its audience.

The competition for gamers' attention remains intense, with established battle royale titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends maintaining their presence, while other games struggle to retain players. Meanwhile, the growth of shooters and RPGs suggests these genres are gaining ground and capturing more of the gaming community's focus. The success of standout titles such as Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 underscores this trend.

Fortnite's ability to adapt through constant updates, new content, and an expanding range of gaming experiences has likely contributed to its resilience in the face of industry shifts. As gaming trends evolve with changing audience preferences, it will be fascinating to observe how these dynamics continue to develop in the coming years.