Has Fortnite been out for 4 years?
With über-popular battle royale game Fortnite Chapter 4 in full swing as of December 2022, some gamers may be shocked to realize that Fortnite has only been available publicly for just over 5 years. I know, it seems like much longer given Fortnite‘s meteoric impact on gaming culture and rise to becoming a household name. But no, Fortnite has not yet hit the 4 year mark…though its 5th birthday celebration did just wrap up this September!
The Complete Timeline of Fortnite‘s Development and Release
Let‘s break down the key timeline to understand how long the gaming icon has actually been out:
- 2011 – Epic Games first announces a game codenamed "Fortnite" is in development
- July 25, 2017 – Fortnite‘s early access paid beta goes live for $40
- September 26, 2017 – The free-to-play Fortnite Battle Royale mode releases
- June 29, 2020 – Fortnite leaves early access with a full free-to-play launch
- September 2021 – Fortnite celebrates its 4th birthday
- September 2022 – Fortnite celebrates its 5th birthday and enters Chapter 4
Fortnite Originally Launched as Save the World PvE Mode
It may be hard to imagine now, but Fortnite originally launched in July 2017 as a cooperative player versus environment (PvE) game called Save the World, focused on building forts and traps to survive monster attacks.
Epic Games saw the insane popularity of 2017‘s new battle royale gaming craze started by PUBG and pivoted quickly to release Fortnite Battle Royale mode on September 26, 2017 as a free addition. Almost immediately, Fortnite Battle Royale overtook the original PvE mode in popularity.
| Total revenue from Fortnite | $9.8 Billion |
| All-time Fortnite player count | Over 400 million |
| Highest monthly active players | 83.4 million (August 2021) |
Source: Business of Apps
Fortnite Has Stayed at the Top with Constant Updates
Most competitive multiplayer games fail to retain players‘ interest for more than a couple years. So how has Fortnite persisted as one of the most popular games for over 5 years running?
By constantly changing, evolving, and telling an ever-unfolding storyline through in-game events, new game mechanics, and dramatic shifts between seasons and chapters. Plus LOADS of new skins, emotes, weapons, and in-game cosmetics each season in the item shop.
For example, at the start of each numbered chapter, the entire map and setting of the game changes significantly. We are currently in the 4th chapter, which started on December 4, 2022 with a brand new island and graphics engine upgrade.
Meanwhile, every 10 weeks or so marks the start of a new "season" within each chapter. This sees major gameplay changes like new mobility items, fresh weapons entering the loot pool while others get "vaulted". Storyline developments move forward, and of course a battle pass full of 100 tiers of new cosmetic rewards.
How Has Player Retention Compared to Other Top Games?
Fortnite‘s ability to avoid going "stale" for dedicated players is quite impressive compared to previous gaming juggernauts.
After peaking at over 100 million monthly active users, games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends declined in popularity over time. Other triple-A multiplayer titles rarely have a viable player base beyond 2-3 years.
Yet after 5 years, Fornite still reliably retains over 80 million monthly active users. Of course, numbers have settled down from the absolute peak hype periods like Fortnite‘s collaboration with Avengers Infinity War. But that it can even come close years later is astonishing and speaks to Epic Game‘s content cadence.
The only other game that comes close in terms of months at peak popularity is survival shooter Rust, carried by a fervent streamer community. But many Rust veterans complain about a lack of meaningful updates and server stability issues, resulting in declining viewership after 6-12 months of hype.
The Future Staying Power of Fortnite
If the first five years are any indicator, Fortnite won‘t be going anyway anytime soon. Each seasonal update brings anticipation and hype for new storylines, gameplay elements, and cosmetics that keep things feeling fresh.
Leaker communities closely watch Epic developer updates for any hints at future content. Popular fan theories predict sometime in the next year or two, Epic may unvault past seasons of Fortnite to allow mixing and matching old locations, items and mechanics!
With Epic continuing to organize real life events like in-person World Cups, regular tournaments, and even interactive movie showings within the game world, Fortnite remains creatively ambitious as ever.
While competitors like Apex Legends, Valorant and Call of Duty Battle Royale fight to carve out their own market share in gaming subgenres popularized by Fortnite…none have matched the cultural cachet and staying power that Fortnite retains even 5+ years later.
Just like revisiting previous seasons, I‘m excited to see where the universe-hopping, reality warping tale of Fortnite goes in the years to come!
