Why Fortnite Hit 40 Million Players, Making It The ‘Biggest Game In The Western World’

When talking about the premier Hunger Games-esque multiplayer, shooting game in the industry, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has had the eye of the public for some time. However, Epic Games’ own offering called Fortnite Battle Royale has also been making waves. The title recently hit 40 million players, leading its developers to think that they have the “biggest game in the western world.”

Speaking recently to Eurogamer, Battle Royale’s lead systems designer Eric Williamson revealed that the mood in the development studio seems to be one of huge excitement. Apparently, some of the developers are already saying that the game is setting new records.

"To put it in context, some of the folk around the office are saying hey, we could be the biggest Battle Royale game in the western world, which is crazy,” Williamson said. "Some people are saying we could be the biggest and best-played game [full stop] in the western world."

Looking at what the game’s user numbers look like, it’s understandable why the developers would feel this way. Battle Royale even hit two million concurrent players recently and it’s nowhere near done.

As Kotaku notes, a lot of the success surrounding the game stems from its promise of constant updates. Basically, Battle Royale is the epitome of what Games as a Service (GaaS) looks like.

The multiplayer title constantly has new content coming its way, whether it’s in the form of new features on the map, new events, new modes, new equipment, and even better environments. There is always something new to look forward to whenever players log into the game, which makes returning regularly worth it.

Apparently, this consistency in adding new content is thanks to a system that the developers call “level streaming.” It’s basically how Williamson and his team can keep cranking out new content without too much trouble.