Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Shows

A recent report from the research firm Newzoo suggests that while the storm may be tightening on the battle royale genre, Fortnite continues to stand resilient. 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.

Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which analyzes 37 markets (excluding China and India) across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, shows that together, shooter games and battle royale games consistently account for 40% of total playtime. As the playtime for battle royale games has decreased, the playtime for shooter games has correspondingly increased.

Despite the overall 7% decline in the genre, Fortnite has remarkably increased its dominance within the battle royale category. The report indicates that Fortnite escalated from holding a 43% share of the battle royale market in 2021 to an impressive 77% share in 2024. This suggests that even as the genre faces a downturn, Fortnite is capturing a larger slice of the remaining market.

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

The competition for gamers' attention is intense, as noted by Newzoo. While Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends continue to thrive, other games struggle to maintain their relevance. Meanwhile, both shooters and RPGs are gaining ground and capturing more of the gaming community's interest. The success of standout titles like Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 underscores this trend.

Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its ongoing updates, evolving content, and the broadening of its gaming experiences and genres. As time progresses, it's clear that gaming trends will continue to evolve with shifting audience preferences. However, Fortnite's ability to adapt and grow within the battle royale genre remains a testament to its enduring appeal.