The Fortnite Developer Made a Modest $3 Billion Profit in 2018.
Fortnite this, Fortnite that. If you know a gamer, you’ve heard the name of what is arguably 2018’s most popular game. Epic Games – the developers of Fortnite aren’t just profiting from word of mouth, either. Reports are showing that Epic’s profits hit a cool $3 Billion this year fulled by the success of Fortnite.
Using a free-to-play model, Fortnite players are able to by the in-game currency “V-Bucks” to then purchase digital items for their character avatar, such as new dance moves and costumes. Available on all home consoles and mobile devices, players certainly have ample opportunity to spend. While exact figures aren’t released due to Epic being a private company, it doesn’t stop estimates from rolling in. In one such case back in November, it was estimated that iOS users were spending $1.23 million per day on Fortnite – but what about all platforms? The only estimate that covers the full range of Fortnite’s availability comes from May – with the estimate sitting at $318 million dollars that month alone.
It’s not just within Fortnite that fans are dolling out the dosh for – Epic has also collaborated with brands like McFarlane Toys and Funko to bring a variety of Fortnite collectibles into the real world. There are no estimates or information on how much this merchandising brings in for Epic, but with the popularity and affordability of Funko’s “Pop” figures in particular, I would be willing to wager it’s a pretty fair sum.
Epic isn’t just holding onto the golden goose that is Fortnite though, having recently launched their own Epic Games Store. As a competitor for Steam, the Epic Games Store is already bringing in its own exclusives – and offers developers 88 percent of the revenue made through sales on their platform. Epic’s profits are sure to continue to expand as the company is betting on more than just Fortnite going into 2019.