Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Shows

A recent report from the research firm Newzoo suggests that the battle royale genre is facing increasing challenges, yet Fortnite continues to thrive amidst these shifts. According to Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025, the battle royale genre has experienced a decline in playtime, dropping from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This data was gathered from Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which tracks 37 markets across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, excluding China and India.

Interestingly, while the battle royale genre has seen a decrease, shooter games have been on the rise, together accounting for 40% of total playtime. Despite a 7% decline in the genre's overall playtime, Fortnite has significantly increased its dominance within the battle royale space, growing from a 43% share in 2021 to an impressive 77% in 2024. This indicates that even as the genre faces a downturn, Fortnite is capturing a larger portion of the remaining market.

In addition to the shifts in the battle royale genre, role-playing games (RPGs) have also seen substantial growth, rising from a 9% share in 2021 to 13% in 2024. Newzoo highlighted that 18% of RPG playtime in 2024 was dedicated to major releases from 2023, including titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.

The competition for player attention is intense, with games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends maintaining their presence, while others struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, both shooters and RPGs are gaining ground and capturing more of the gaming community's focus. The success of standout titles in these genres, such as Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3, underscores this trend.

Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its continuous updates, evolving content, and the diverse range of gaming experiences it offers. As the gaming landscape evolves, it will be fascinating to observe how these trends develop and how player interests shift over time.