Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Finds

A recent report from Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025 sheds light on the evolving landscape of the battle royale genre, revealing that while the genre as a whole is experiencing a decline, Fortnite continues to thrive.

According to Newzoo's data, the battle royale genre has seen a decrease in playtime, dropping from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This information was gathered through Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which tracks 37 markets (excluding China and India) across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. Despite this downward trend, shooter games and battle royale games together still account for 40% of overall playtime, with shooter games gaining ground as battle royale playtime diminishes.

The most striking finding within the battle royale genre is Fortnite's increasing dominance. The game's share of the genre has surged from 43% in 2021 to an impressive 77% in 2024. This indicates that while the genre may be shrinking, Fortnite is capturing a larger portion of the remaining market.

In addition to the battle royale genre, role-playing games (RPGs) have also seen significant 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 such as Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.

The report emphasizes the competitive nature of capturing player attention and playtime. While stalwarts like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends maintain their presence, other games struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, both shooters and RPGs are expanding their reach and influence, with successful titles like Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 exemplifying this trend.

Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its continuous updates, evolving content, and the diverse gaming experiences it offers within its ecosystem. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to observe how these trends develop in response to shifting audience preferences over time.