Fortnite Mobile Passes Major Milestone

There is no bigger game in the world than Fortnite right now, and it's showing no signs of slowing [...]

There is no bigger game in the world than Fortnite right now, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. The mobile version of the battle royale game has apparently generated $1 billion in revenue over just two years, according to estimates from Sensor Data. Fortnite is currently available for purchase from the App Store, and the game was recently added to the Google Play Store, despite significant reluctance from Epic Games. Previously, Android users were forced to download the game from Epic's site, but after some struggles with Google, Epic begrudgingly conceded, releasing the game through the Play Store.

Of course, Epic's reluctance to bring the game to Google Play had to do with Google's strict 30% cut of Fortnite's in-game purchase revenue. Considering how much revenue the game has been generating, it's easy to see why Epic might have been so reluctant! Global spending on the mobile version of the game saw a massive increase in April. The game generated $44.3 million in revenue that month, up from $23.3 million in March.

There are many potential reasons for the increase. Notably, the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a major increase in gaming over the last few weeks, as people look for ways to spend time in-doors. Online gaming, in particular, has provided players with a way to connect with friends and family during the pandemic, so it's not unsurprising to see such big gains for Fortnite, during this time. Additionally, the Travis Scott concert event held in April seemed to do quite well for Fortnite. Finally, the game's presence in Google Play might have helped Fortnite's mobile revenue, despite Epic's reservations.

That said, it will be interesting to see how the game performs in the month of May. The majority of the game's revenue comes from the U.S., and with several states starting to ease social distancing requirements, people might begin to spend less time with online gaming. Coupled with the fact that Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 doesn't start until June, players might not have as much incentive to play the game, this month. Regardless, the numbers show that Fortnite continues to perform incredibly well, despite the insistence of some players that the game is "dying."

Did you spend time with Fortnite in April? Have you been spending more time with online games over the last few weeks? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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