According to the latest PC & Console Gaming Report 2025 by research firm Newzoo, the battle royale genre is experiencing a contraction, yet Fortnite remains a dominant force within it. The report highlights that the battle royale genre's share of overall playtime has decreased from 19% in 2021 to 12% in 2024. This data is drawn from Newzoo's Game Performance Monitor, which tracks 37 markets excluding China and India across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Interestingly, while the battle royale genre has seen a decline, shooter games have seen an increase in playtime. Together, these genres account for 40% of total gaming time. Despite the genre's overall shrinkage, Fortnite's dominance within the battle royale category has significantly grown, increasing its share from 43% in 2021 to a commanding 77% in 2024. This indicates that Fortnite is not only holding strong but is also expanding its influence within its genre as others wane.
Beyond battle royales, the role-playing game (RPG) genre has also seen substantial growth, rising from a 9% share in 2021 to 13% in 2024. Notably, 18% of RPG playtime in 2024 was attributed to major releases from 2023, including titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Diablo IV, Honkai: Star Rail, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.
Newzoo's report underscores the intense competition for players' time and attention. While stalwarts like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends continue to thrive, other games struggle to maintain relevance. Meanwhile, both shooter and RPG genres are gaining ground, with standout titles such as Marvel Rivals and Baldur's Gate 3 capturing significant mindshare.
Fortnite's resilience can be attributed to its continuous updates, evolving gameplay, and an expanding universe of experiences and genres. As gaming trends evolve with shifting audience interests, it will be fascinating to observe how these dynamics continue to play out in the coming years.
