Epic Games CEO says Apex Legends hasn’t affected Fortnite player numbers
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney stated in an interview with VentureBeat that the release of Apex Legends has not had a noticeable impact on Fortnite. Sweeney mentioned that Fortnite reached its peak player numbers twice after Apex Legends was launched.
Apex Legends surpasses Fortnite in Twitch viewership
Although Apex Legends briefly overtook Fortnite as the most-watched game on Twitch, it did not significantly affect the number of players in Fortnite.
Fortnite gains new players thanks to Apex Legends
Sweeney explained that Apex Legends has re-energized shooter players, attracting those who switch between popular games. Instead of losing players to Apex Legends, Fortnite has gained an equivalent number of players. Sweeney also stated that Fortnite is close to reaching 250 million players.
FIFA is the only game that competes with Fortnite
Surprisingly, the only game that has had an impact on Fortnite’s player numbers is FIFA. FIFA is a globally popular game played by a wide audience.
Sweeney believes that new battle royale games are beneficial for the industry, as they bring their unique features and advancements. Therefore, Apex Legends may not be the “Fortnite killer” many expected it to be. While Fortnite continues to gain popularity, Apex Legends and its developers have lost their initial honeymoon effect, with streamers expressing concerns and players criticizing new features like the season one Battle Pass.
However, other genres have shown that two competitors can coexist successfully, such as League of Legends and Dota 2 in the MOBA world. If Apex Legends continues to grow, with over $90 million earned in its first month and 50 million global players, it is possible for both Apex Legends and Fortnite to remain popular without either game fading away.