A recent report from the research firm Newzoo sheds light on the evolving landscape of the battle royale genre, yet Fortnite remains a dominant force. According to Newzoo's PC & Console Gaming Report 2025, there's been a noticeable decline in the overall playtime for battle royale games, dropping from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This data is sourced from Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which covers 37 markets, excluding China and India, and spans PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Interestingly, while the battle royale genre has seen a decline, shooter games have experienced a corresponding increase in playtime. Together, shooter and battle royale games continue to command a significant 40% of total playtime. Despite a 7% decrease in the genre's overall playtime, Fortnite's dominance within the battle royale space has surged. The game's share within the genre escalated from 43% in 2021 to an impressive 77% in 2024, indicating that even as the genre shrinks, Fortnite captures a larger slice of the pie.
In addition to the shifts in the battle royale genre, role-playing games (RPGs) have seen a notable uptick, growing from a 9% share in 2021 to 13% in 2024. A significant portion of this RPG playtime, 18% in 2024, was attributed to major releases from the previous year, including titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.
Newzoo's report underscores the intense competition for player engagement, with standout games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends continuing to thrive, while others struggle to maintain relevance. Meanwhile, both shooters and RPGs are gaining ground, as evidenced by the success of titles such as Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3.
Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its dynamic updates, evolving content, and its expansive universe that integrates various gaming experiences and genres. As the industry evolves, it's clear that audience interests will continue to shift, and Fortnite's ability to adapt will be key to its ongoing success.
