USA TODAY International Edition
Free ‘Fortnite’ a money-making video machine
125 million gamers open their wallets in order to stand out while bonding with their friends
For Brendan Hickey, purchasing custom features for his character in the online game “Fortnite” was about standing out.
He can now do the electro shuffle. Eat popcorn, dribble a basketball or swing a “plunja” pickaxe. Do any of these help the 22-year-old jump to the next level, get more lives or give him an advantage in fighting his opponents in one of the world’s most popular online games? Nope.
The $140 to $160 he estimates shelling out on “Fortnite” purchases since October helps him stand out in the game and bond with friends that also play the online contest.
“It’s the first time we’ve all been excited to get on and play Xbox together,” said Hickey, a recent University of Connecticut graduate who says his friends are getting ready to disperse around the country. “It’s the same as going out and getting like, a beer or getting a bite to eat with the guys.”
He has company. Its 125 million players have made “Fortnite” the highest-grossing free-to-play game. Everyone from athletes and celebrities to school-age kids drop onto the game’s brightly colored maps each day, battling to outlast each match’s 99 other opponents, with many spending money to customize their characters.
In May, the game generated $318 million in revenue for North Carolina-based Epic Games, according to SuperData Research, beating out other stalwart console games such as Electronic Arts’ “FIFA 18” and Activision’s “Call of Duty: WWII” in paid downloads and in-game purchases and topping “Pokemon Go” at its peak.
When gamers fire up the game, they are bringing their real-world wallets with them.
Buying skins or cosmetics, these outfits and get-ups let players show their personality and allegiance with friends and online competitors. In a study of 1,000 “Fortnite” players by LendEDU, nearly 69 percent of players spent money on in-game purchases, with the amount spent averaging $84.67.
“It’s almost like younger players are treating ‘Fortnite’ skins like action figures,” said Carter Rogers, a principal analyst at SuperData. “It has really become a part of the culture to have the latest skin, the latest fashion.”
The cash windfall from players buying custom outfits, say a basketball jersey or a hip dance move, marks a new trend for online gaming. In the past, gaming publishers have sold in-game features, but the notion of having players buy their way into higher levels courted controversy.
With “Fortnite,” players don’t get better at vanquishing their opponents by acquiring a new outfit. But it heightens the allure of the game, feeding what already has become an obsession for many people.
The popularity of “Fortnite” has caused schools and teachers to complain students are sneaking it in class and playing on their phones. Epic Games has a warning to the game’s loading screen cautioning students to set the screens aside.
Take Asher Kim, a 14-year-old who lives in Georgia, who estimates he plays roughly 36 hours a week “unless I’m grounded.”
What’s the attraction? It’s addictive, competitive and “like the ‘Hunger Games,’ except with guns.”