When it was first released in the middle of 2017, nobody expected Fortnite to take the world by storm in the way it did. Not only was it the most popular video game on the planet at one stage, but it also spawned endless lines of merchandise and copycat games, hoping for just a fraction of its success.
Now it’s 2021. Is Fortnite still the dominant force of the current gaming landscape? This article takes a closer look for the answer.
Recent happenings
Even though Fortnite has already generated billions of dollars for Epic Games, the creators haven’t simply sat on this success. They have continually introduced updates and new features to the game. This has helped to keep the product fresh for original players while also ensuring there’s a lot of content for everyone to enjoy.
As for recent happenings, Fortnite continues to introduce characters from other franchises as useable skins. These skins include the likes of Kratos from God of War, Halo’s Master Chief, and Predator from, well, Predator. Epic has also been tinkering with Fortnite’s in-game economy to both appease players and keep the pace up. Although other than relatively small updates, no game-changing tweaks have been made recently.
No longer the flavor of the month?
At one point, Fortnite was the number one title on YouTube and Twitch. Massive names in the gaming world such as Ninja and Myth were constantly covering the game. Now in 2021, however, it isn’t the flavor of the month any longer. Valorant, Fall Guys, Among Us – these are the types of games that have become more popular with the big names in the streaming world.
With that said, Fortnite hasn’t exactly disappeared off the face of the earth. It continues to have a high ranking in the top ten of Twitch’s most-watched games. It may not turn back into a global phenomenon, but it’s clear Fortnite still has a prosperous future to come for 2021 and the rest of the decade.
No in-person events for the year
Due to the current pandemic, Epic Games has made the decision not to hold any in-person Fortnite events in 2021. This includes the traditional Fortnite World Cup. Even though this is a blow to the eSports community, fortunately, tournaments will still be ongoing digitally.
Plus, if players are itching for more high stakes matches like those found at major tournaments, it is possible to play games for money’ in Fortnite. Even if you’re not a pro, UMode by Unikrn allows you to bet on yourself to win your matches.
The verdict
Fortnite is here to stay. That much is clear. However, it is at the stage where certain decisions could impact its long-term future.
If Epic makes alterations to gameplay that chases away their core audience, for example, this is going to damage Fortnite’s current standing in the gaming world. Yet if Fortnite Creative receives an overhaul that matches up well to something like Dreams, it could breathe new life into a game that is already wildly successful.
