Fortnite’s 2024 in numbers: UGC boom, esports growth, and record engagement

Fortnite is a big name in gaming, always changing to stay exciting. Recently, user-generated content (UGC) has been key in keeping Fortnite’s world fresh. The Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) has gotten many more people involved. In a year, active creators increased from 24,000 to 70,000, showing more interest in making custom in-game features.

Fortnite’s creator economy thrives

Being creative pays well now. In 2024, Epic Games paid $352 million to creators, which is an 11% rise from last year. Impressively, 58 creators made over $1 million each from their Fortnite creations, proving that custom maps and games are profitable.

Player-made content is more popular than ever, with almost 200,000 custom islands created in 2024. These islands have changed how players enjoy Fortnite, pushing it towards a metaverse-like experience. Players spent a combined five billion hours on UGC gameplay, making up 36.5% of all in-game play.

Fortnite isn’t just attracting creators, the number of daily active players increased by 15% in 2024, reaching record highs. This shows that Fortnite stays interesting with player-created changes and vast content. As Fortnite grows, it’s getting closer to becoming a true metaverse, with Epic Games leading the way in user-powered digital fun.

Competitive Fortnite and streaming success

While user-generated content is driving new interest, Fortnite’s competitive scene continues to be a major part of its success. The Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) Global Championship 2024 reached new heights in viewership, with over 809,000 people watching at the same time. That’s an increase of 80,000 viewers from last year’s event. This shows Fortnite’s esports scene is still incredibly popular and is one of the top competitive gaming events worldwide.

Fortnite is currently the #1 most-viewed game on Twitch by a long shot, as FNCS 2024 is officially starting today!

Mongraal alone has almost 100,000 concurrent viewers pic.twitter.com/T4fVXHQCOg

— Shiina (@ShiinaBR) January 26, 2024

Beyond esports, Fortnite is the top-watched battle royale game on streaming platforms, drawing in over 13.3 million hours of watch time on Twitch and YouTube. Clix, a leading streamer, achieved 1.7 million hours of watch time, making him the most-watched Fortnite content creator. This highlights Fortnite’s leading position in gaming content, where it continually surpasses its competitors.

Fortnite’s live in-game events are also key to its growing audience, blending gaming with large-scale entertainment. The Big Bang event, featuring a virtual concert by Eminem in 2023, drew a record-breaking three million viewers. This surpassed past events with stars like Ariana Grande and Travis Scott, reinforcing Fortnite’s status as a leader in digital concerts and entertainment.

These major events show Epic Games’ skill in keeping Fortnite relevant beyond traditional gaming. By mixing music, pop culture, and gaming, Fortnite has become a major entertainment platform, attracting audiences who might not usually play video games.

Future outlook and industry impact

Fortnite is on the rise, and Epic Games has big plans to grow its creator economy and competitive gaming. In 2025, they plan to release new tools that will help creators build even better experiences. They’re also working on a new Fortnite creator roadmap to show what’s coming next for user-generated content.

This growth has improved Epic Games’ finances. Fortnite made $4.4 billion in 2022, keeping it as a top-earning game. Epic Games, which owns Fortnite, continues to grow financially with gross revenue expected to hit $6.2 billion by 2026. Their reach across platforms is also expanding, with 804 million registered accounts by December 2023.

The future looks bright for Fortnite, with expansion planned in many areas. Epic Games is focused on metaverse development, esports, and creator content, making Fortnite a leader in digital entertainment. Its continued success in streaming, competitive play, and user engagement shows how it adapts to trends and what players want.

Fortnite’s brand value keeps growing, and 81% of gamers know its influence in gaming. It’s very popular on social media, especially TikTok, where Fortnite content has 2.9 billion views, highlighting its cultural impact.