Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Finds

A recent report from the research firm Newzoo sheds light on the evolving landscape of the battle royale genre, highlighting that while the genre is experiencing a contraction, Fortnite continues to thrive impressively. According to Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025, the battle royale genre's share of total playtime has decreased from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This data was gathered from Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which analyzed 37 markets across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, excluding China and India.

Despite this decline, the report reveals an intriguing dynamic within the genre itself. As battle royale games have seen a reduction in playtime, shooter games have gained ground, together accounting for 40% of overall playtime. More notably, Fortnite's dominance within the battle royale category has surged, increasing its market share from 43% in 2021 to a commanding 77% in 2024. This indicates that while the genre as a whole is shrinking, Fortnite has managed to capture a larger segment of the remaining audience.

Parallel to the shifts in the battle royale genre, role-playing games (RPGs) have seen a significant uptick in popularity, growing from a 9% share of playtime in 2021 to 13% in 2024. Newzoo highlighted that 18% of RPG playtime in 2024 was dedicated to major titles released in 2023, such as Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield. This growth underscores the increasing appeal of RPGs to gamers.

Newzoo's analysis underscores the competitive nature of gaming, where titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends continue to vie for players' attention, while other games struggle to maintain relevance. Meanwhile, both shooter and role-playing games are expanding their reach and capturing more of the gaming community's interest. The success stories of games like Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 serve as testament to the potential within these genres.

Fortnite's resilience in the face of these shifting trends can be attributed to its continuous evolution through updates, new content, and an expanding array of gaming experiences and genres within its platform. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to observe how these trends develop in response to changing audience preferences in the coming years.