Metaverse Review: Fortnite
What is the platform about?
Fortnite is an online video game developed by Epic Games and launched in 2017. It features three distinct gameplay modes that differ in objectives.
- Battle Royale: A first-person shooter where up to 100 players fight to be the last person standing
- Save the World: A cooperative tower defense-shooter and survival game
- Creative: Players have complete freedom to create their worlds and battle arenas
Battle Royale has been the standout success and has become a cultural phenomenon drawing more than 125 million players in its first year following the 2017 launch, growing to an estimated 400 million registered users in 2021. Sixty percent of Fortnite users are between 18 and 24 years of age. The typical Fortnite gamer spends between six and ten hours per week playing the game while spending an average of $58.25. This average increases to $84.67 when you count only players who have made a purchase.
Battle Royale is available for PCs, platform game systems, and mobile devices. Interestingly, since Epic was involved in legal battles with Apple and Google, access to all game modes and updates on macOS, iOS, and Android has been impeded.
Fortnite generated an estimated $5.8 billion in revenue in 2021.
What makes the platform unique?
Compared to other metaverses we’ve analyzed, such as Roblox and Rec Room, Fortnite is one of the more centralized, game-based metaverses. There is an element of user creation that aligns more with ephemeral gameplay. User-generated levels are less popular.
Commercialization is limited predominantly to Fortnite itself. Players can spend money on cosmetic accessories for their avatars, such as outfits, characters, and visual upgrades to accessories. While other metaverses have pay-to-play experiences (such as Roblox), Fortnite maintains free access to all experiences. And while traditional games offer and sell performance upgrades to players, Fortnite doesn’t. It levels the playing field and ensures equal performance for all players.
There is an affiliate program where players can reward accredited “Creators” with a percentage of their in-game purchases. Players enter a code tied to the creator they want to support, and any in-game purchases made over the next 14 days distribute 5% of the fees to the designated creator.
Why should brands consider it? What makes it relevant for brands to consider? What are the opportunities?
There have been a handful of brand activations in Fortnite to date. The most recognized have been musical performances by artists such as Travis Scott and Ariana Grande, but there have also been branded items available for player purchase (outfits, accessories, etc.).
Some examples of high-profile events that have occurred within Fortnite are:
- In 2019 electronic music producer Marshmello performed for 10.7 million players
- In 2020 rapper Travis Scott performed for 27.7 million players (12.3 million peak concurrent).
Brands built these events in direct collaboration with Fortnite.
Rating
Engagement
- 5 — Players are in a free-roam first-person shooter game with assorted additional gameplay elements. The playable area shrinks the longer the game goes to add pressure to the players.
Immersiveness
- 2 — While Fortnite immerses the player with the intense gameplay and atmosphere, it is still limited to flat-screen interactions.
Social Interactivity
- 4 — Players can join user-created experiences through the Create mode, interact with players in-game by voice and text chat, and make emotive moves by their character.
Centralization
- 1 — Epic Games manages the entire Fortnite experience. User assets are limited to cosmetic modifications that are not portable or exchangeable.
UGC Creation
- 4 — Creators can build rich interactive experiences, including a variety of game mechanics
Economics
- 3 — A “Support-a-Creator” affiliate program allows players to attribute their purchases to a designated Creator by entering an affiliate code before making purchases. Compared to other metaverses, the opportunities for creators to monetize are less, and most commercialization is centralized on the platform.
Partnerability
- 2 — Several partnerships have been demonstrated, such as the aforementioned musical performances by Travis Scott and Marshmello, but there are no public details about the partnership processes or criteria. Based on the type of partnerships we were able to find, it seems as if Fortnite is more focused on high-profile events to entertain their users rather than partnering with brands to build unique, playable experiences within their universe.
Want to learn more about other metaverses, find our other reviews in our State of the Metaverse post.
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