Fortnite Dominates as Battle Royale Interest Declines, Report Says

A recent analysis from the research firm Newzoo suggests that the battle royale genre may be experiencing a contraction, yet Fortnite remains a dominant force within it. According to Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025, the battle royale genre has seen a decline in playtime, dropping from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This data was collected via Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which surveyed 37 markets (excluding China and India) across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.

Despite this downward trend in the genre's overall playtime, the report highlights a significant shift within the battle royale space. While the genre as a whole has lost ground, Fortnite's share within it has surged dramatically. From a 43% share in 2021, Fortnite's dominance grew to a remarkable 77% by 2024. This suggests that even as the genre shrinks, Fortnite has captured an increasingly larger portion of its remaining playtime.

Newzoo's data also reveals that shooter games and battle royale games together account for 40% of total playtime. As battle royale games have seen a decline, shooter games have experienced a corresponding increase in playtime, indicating a shift in player preferences within the broader gaming landscape.

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

The competition for player attention is intense, as Newzoo points out. While stalwarts like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends continue to thrive, other games struggle to maintain their foothold. Meanwhile, both shooter and RPG 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 resilience amidst these shifts is likely due to its ongoing updates, evolving content, and its ability to incorporate various gaming experiences and genres within its platform. As time progresses, it's clear that gaming trends will continue to evolve in response to changing audience interests.