A recent report from the esteemed research firm Newzoo sheds light on the evolving landscape of the battle royale genre, which appears to be facing a tightening storm. However, amidst this contraction, Fortnite continues to stand resilient and dominant.
The Newzoo PC & Console Gaming Report 2025 meticulously details various shifts and trends across the gaming industry, with a particular focus on the battle royale genre. According to Newzoo's tracking, the genre has seen a significant reduction in playtime, dropping from 19% in 2021 to just 12% in 2024. This data was gathered from Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which examines 37 markets (excluding China and India) across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Interestingly, while battle royale playtime has declined, shooter games have experienced a corresponding uptick in playtime. Together, shooter and battle royale games still constitute around 40% of total playtime. Despite the genre's overall 7% decrease, the internal dynamics reveal a striking trend: Fortnite's dominance within the battle royale genre has surged. In 2021, Fortnite claimed a 43% share of the genre, which impressively escalated to a 77% share by 2024. This indicates that even as the genre itself contracts, Fortnite continues to capture a larger portion of the remaining market.
Parallel to these shifts, the role-playing game (RPG) genre has also witnessed significant growth, increasing from a 9% share of playtime in 2021 to 13% in 2024. Newzoo highlights that 18% of RPG playtime in 2024 was dedicated to major releases from 2023, including standout titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.
The Newzoo report underscores the intense competition for gamers' attention. While stalwarts like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends maintain their foothold, other games are falling behind. Concurrently, both shooter and RPG genres are expanding their territories and capturing more mindshare. The success of games such as Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 within their respective genres is a testament to this trend.
Fortnite's ability to weather the storm can be attributed to its continuous evolution, with regular updates, changes, and an ever-expanding library of gaming experiences across multiple genres. As time progresses, the gaming landscape will undoubtedly continue to evolve, reflecting the shifting interests of its broad audience.
