A recent report from the research firm Newzoo highlights a notable contraction in the battle royale genre, yet Fortnite continues to dominate the market.
According to Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025, the battle royale genre has experienced a significant decline in playtime, dropping from 19% in 2021 to just 12% in 2024. The firm's Game Performance Monitor, which tracks 37 markets (excluding China and India) across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, reveals that shooter and battle royale games together still command a robust 40% of total playtime. As the battle royale segment has seen a decrease, shooter games have conversely seen an increase in playtime.
Despite the overall genre's decline, Fortnite has remarkably increased its dominance within the battle royale category. Newzoo's data shows Fortnite's share of the battle royale market soaring from 43% in 2021 to an impressive 77% in 2024. This growth underscores Fortnite's ability to capture a larger portion of the shrinking market.
Role-playing games (RPGs) have also experienced significant growth, rising from a 9% share in 2021 to 13% in 2024. Newzoo notes that 18% of RPG playtime in 2024 was dedicated to major 2023 releases such as Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.The competition for gamers' attention is intense, as Newzoo's report indicates. While stalwarts like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends maintain their presence, other titles struggle to keep up. Meanwhile, both shooter and RPG genres are expanding their influence, with standout titles like Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 leading the charge.
Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its continuous updates, evolving content, and its expansion into a broader range of gaming experiences and genres. As the gaming landscape evolves, it's clear that Fortnite has successfully navigated the shifting trends. However, with audience interests constantly changing, the future of gaming will undoubtedly see further shifts and new trends emerging.
