In 2024, video game publisher and software developer Epic Games is projected to generate approximately 5.8 billion U.S. dollars in gross revenues, up from 5.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.

How does Epic Games make money? Epic Games' gross does not only include game revenue from the company battle royale hit Fortnite, but also engine revenue derived from game licenses and royalties, as well as Unreal Engine assets. Epic is the developer of the gaming engine Unreal Engine, which is currently monetized under a royalty model, meaning that is can be downloaded for free and Epic claims a percentage of sales revenue. Currently, Epic is not claiming a fee for developers that publish their games on the Epic Games Store. The Epic Games Store (EGS) was launched in December 2018. In May 2020, Epic announced that their share of royalties for games developed in Unreal Engine are waived until developers have earned their first 1 million U.S. dollars in revenue. Other income streams of the company include Epic Games Store revenue, and Merchandise and other revenue. Epic Games Store upsetting the industry standard One of the biggest headlines regarding the launch of Epic’s own digital storefront was the company’s attitude to developer / store revenue split. Gaming stores and app platforms including Valve’s Steam, the Apple App Store, or Google Play, usually take a 30 percent commission cut from game sales and in-game revenues. The Epic Games Store was released with the announcement that the EGS would only claim 12 percent of revenue, leaving 88 percent to the developers. This approach, as well as Epic’s attempt to circumvent Apple’s monetization strategies in the iOS app of Fortnite, has made many headlines, led to Apple removing the app from its App Store, and resulted in the still ongoing lawsuit Epic vs. Apple.

In 2022, the multi-platform free-to-play (F2P) gaming title Fortnite generated an estimated 4.4 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenues. This figure decreased from the previous year when the battle royale title made about 4.8 billion U.S. dollars in revenues.

In 2024, video game publisher and software developer Epic Games is projected to generate approximately 907 million U.S. dollars in gross income, down from 1.83 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. In the most recently ended year, the company's gross revenue was estimated to be5.6 billion U.S. dollars.

In 2019, video game publisher and software developer Epic Games generated approximately 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in gross revenues, the majority of which was generated through its game revenue segment. Almost all of the segment's revenue was generated via Fortnite, with smaller titles Rocket League and Battle Breakers only netting a fraction of the total. Epic Games also publishes the Unreal Engine, a tool for developing games, as well as the Epic Games Store.

In 2024, Epic Games had an estimated 4,358 employees worldwide, which represents a significant reduction from 2022 after a round of layoffs in September 2023. These layoffs affected 830 employees, which translated to about 16 percent of Epic’s workforce. How many people work on Fortnite? While it is hard to say how many of Epic Games’ employees work on the battle royale hit, it is safe to say that it is a significant number of employees. Most of the video game publisher and software developer's employees were working in the gaming segment, accounting for nearly 900 employees in 2019 when the company last revealed the figures publicly. For scale, these figures pale compared to Ubisoft, the gaming industry leader based on workforce. The French-headquartered company currently employs about 20,000 people. Video game industry layoffs The gaming company has also been affected by the wider tech industry layoffs that started rolling in at the beginning of 2023. Although the exact figures remain unclear, it is estimated that more than 11,000 video game industry workers were laid off in 2023. Additionally, 2024 is not shaping up to be much kinder, as already nearly 6,000 game developers lost their jobs during industry layoffs until the end of January.

Epic Games’ layoff of 830 employees is one of the largest of the 2023-24 industry shakeup , ranking fourth behind Unity Technologies (2,900 employees laid off in 3 rounds so far), Microsoft Gaming (close to 2,000 layoffs), Electronic Arts, and Sony Interactive Entertainment (both other 1,000 game devs laid off).

In 2024, video game publisher and software developer Epic Games is estimated to incur approximately 4.49 billion U.S. dollars in cost of sales. The biggest cost factor was platform royalties, which amounted to almost 1.06 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.

In 2023, video game publisher and software developer Epic Games is estimated to generate approximately 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in losses before interest and taxes with the company's gross income declining while cost of sales goes up.

The Metaverse market is experiencing explosive growth, projected to reach a substantial size exceeding $116.74 million by 2025 and exhibiting a remarkable Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 41.83%. This burgeoning sector is driven by several key factors. Firstly, advancements in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) hardware are creating increasingly immersive and engaging experiences. Secondly, the integration of social media, particularly through targeted advertising within metaverse platforms, is fueling user engagement and market expansion. The rise of virtual live entertainment, exemplified by successful platforms like Epic Games and Roblox, is further attracting significant user bases and driving revenue generation. Finally, the expansion of gaming services, offering diverse and interactive experiences within metaverse environments, constitutes a major growth catalyst. The market is segmented across diverse end-user industries, including gaming, media & entertainment, commercial applications (virtual offices, training simulations), retail (virtual showrooms, immersive shopping), and others. Major players like Fortnite, EA Sports, AWS, Qualcomm, Oculus, Vive, Epic Games, Roblox, Facebook (Meta), Unity, Steam, and Itch.io are actively shaping this dynamic landscape, investing heavily in technological advancements and content creation to capture market share. The forecast period from 2025 to 2033 promises even more significant expansion. While precise regional market share data is unavailable, it's reasonable to expect North America and Europe to initially hold the largest shares, given their advanced technological infrastructure and strong adoption rates of related technologies. However, Asia's rapid technological development and immense population present significant growth potential, potentially surpassing other regions in the later years of the forecast period. The continued development of user-friendly interfaces, enhanced graphic capabilities, and broader accessibility will be crucial in driving further market penetration across all regions. Challenges such as addressing concerns regarding data privacy, cybersecurity, and the potential for digital addiction will require proactive solutions to ensure sustainable and responsible market development. Recent developments include: May 2024: Grand Cayman-based Web3 firm Mai Labs unveiled its metaverse platform, 'Mayaaverse', in India. During the launch event held in Delhi, the company also rolled out the Lumyn XR, a virtual reality headset crafted for deep immersion in the digital realm. Through these innovations, Mai Labs is making its mark in Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, and the metaverse., February 2024: The Royal Government of Bhutan has launched a metaverse platform named Bhutanverse. This virtual space provides a computer-generated environment, enabling global users to experience Bhutan digitally. The metaverse will showcase the country's culture, history, and philosophy, accessible from users' homes. It will feature Bhutanese motifs, art, and architecture. Additionally, a creative space has been developed to offer interactive quests, where metaverse avatars can engage in mini-games based on compelling storylines centered around Bhutan’s history and folklore.. Key drivers for this market are: Favorable trends such as convergence of games and social media platforms, Technological advancements in hardware and networking. Potential restraints include: Favorable trends such as convergence of games and social media platforms, Technological advancements in hardware and networking. Notable trends are: Gaming Segment Accounted for the Largest Market Share.

Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. The Battle Royale game, in which up to 100 players fight it out at one time until one player is left standing, generated revenue of *** U.S. dollars in December 2019, more an increase of *** million U.S. dollars compared to the precious month.

Fortnite – the money maker With *** million users registered worldwide in early 2020, it is no wonder that Fortnite is making its developers, Epic Games, a lot of money. The game has found the most success in the United States, where it generated a staggering ** million U.S. dollars in its first year after release. Given the nature of the game and the trend in gaming as a whole, it will come as no shock that the vast majority of Fortnite players in the United States were male, with over ** percent falling into the 18-34 age category.

In-game purchases key to success Given that Fortnite is a free-to-play game, how does it generate such a vast amount of revenue? The answer lies, as with many other commercially successful free-to-play games, in in-game purchases. According to a survey carried out in the United States in February 2020, about 77 percent of Fortnite players admitted to making in-game purchases. Using their hard-earned cash to purchase V-Bucks, gamers then use the game’s currency to buy upgrades ranging from outfits and characters to gliders. What’s more, almost ** percent of U.S. Fortnite players confessed to spending money on emotes, which allow their character to celebrate their kills and victories with elaborate dance moves.

After a nearly five-year ban from the Apple App Store and Google Play, the battle royale hit made its return to mobile devices — at least on iOS. After a protracted legal battle between Epic Games and Apple regarding third-party payments, Fortnite returned to the iOS ecosystem in the United States. In May 2025, Fortnite's mobile app revenue amounted to 1.15 million U.S. dollars.

Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. The Battle Royale game, in which up to 100 players fight it out at one time, is especially loved amongst the younger generations as **** percent of Fortnite players are aged between 18 and 24, and a further **** percent are between ** and 34.

The rise of Fortnite Having amassed over *** million registered users in just two years, it is safe to say that Fortnite is nothing short of a gaming phenomenon. The developers of the hit, Epic Games, certainly picked the right time to enter the market as revenue in the Battle Royale premium console segment amounted to *** billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and was estimated to more than double to *** billion U.S. dollars in 2019. Fortnite undoubtedly contributed to this estimated jump in revenue as the game generated *** million U.S. dollars in May 2018 alone and it also raked in considerable revenue through its mobile game. If Fortnite itself is free to play, how is it generating so much money?

In-game purchases key to success The answer is in-game purchases. Regular currency will not get you very far in the Fortnite universe, but it will give you access to V-Bucks, which will unlock everything from Fortnite outfits to celebrations (emotes) and gliders. It seems that players are spending their hard-earned money on making their Fortnite characters stand out from the crowd, with over two-thirds of Fortnite fans confessing to spending money on in-game purchases. The most popular upgrades were to the characters themselves and their outfits, whilst almost ** percent of in-game spending was on emotes, so that the victorious players could celebrate their victories in style.

Since its release in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. The Battle Royale game pits up to 100 players against each other at one time until only one player emerges victorious. Given the nature of the gaming world and of shooter games in particular, it comes as no surprise that the majority of Fortnite players are male – **** percent of the game’s players in the United States are male, in comparison to **** percent who are female.

The rise of Fortnite The meteoric rise of Fortnite can be seen no more clearly than in its registered user number. It recorded just one million users in its humble beginnings in August 2017, but this had soared to 250 million players by March 2019. The battle royale game is particularly loved by the younger generations – **** percent of users in the U.S. were aged between 18 and 24, and a further **** percent fell into the ** to ** age range. While the gameplay makes it easy to play just one game in a sitting, it seems that players are putting far more hours into their favorite game. Over ** percent of Fortnite players admitted to spending over ** hours a week playing the game and **** percent stated that they played between ** and ** hours weekly.

Fortnite raking in the revenue One of the biggest selling points of Fortnite is that it is free to play. This does not mean, however, that the developer, Epic Games, is not reaping the rewards for its hit game. Gamers can spend money on upgrades within the game for everything ranging from how their character looks to how they celebrate their victory. These in-game purchases were carried out by **** percent of Fortnite gamers in the United States, with modifications to outfits or characters being the most popular choice. As a result of these purchases, Fortnite generated revenue of *** million U.S. dollars in May 2018 alone, more than doubling the figure from February 2018.

First released in 2017 and developed by Epic Games, Fortnite is an online battle royal video game with the objective of being the last survivor and eliminating other opposing players. Following the success of the game, a mobile version was released for Android and iOS the following year. Thanks to in-app purchases and micro-transactions, the app generated revenue of **** million U.S. dollars through player spending worldwide in April 2020. This sharp growth in players is no doubt in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, which spread across the world at the beginning of 2020 and led to many people turning to gaming and other forms of indoor entertainment during periods of lockdown.

First released in 2017, the battle royale game Fortnite has become popular with audiences worldwide. The game also has a sizeable eSports segment, and Kyle Giersdorf, also known as Bugha, is the most successful Fortnite eSports player, with lifetime earnings from the game of 3.77 million U.S. dollars. Second-ranked David Wang, also known as Aqua, has accumulated about 2.19 million U.S. dollars in winnings from the game.

Downloadable content is a way of enhancing the video gaming experience for the players by giving them access to exciting new content which can range from the purely aesthetic changes to upgrades to characters and items. During a 2019 survey of gamers, it was found that they spent an average of ** U.S. dollars each year on in-game transactions in League of Legends.

The reasons why Fortnite has become such a global hit are clear to see. Not only is the game free to play, but it is also available on most gaming platforms. On top of this, the Battle Royale-style, in which up to 100 players fight it out at one time, mean that the re-playability of the game is infinite – each game is unique. However, while the game itself is free to download, users are encouraged to purchase downloadable content (DLC) to enhance their gaming experience. In 2019, Fornite users in the United States spent an average of 82 U.S. dollars on DLC. The most common in-game purchases included upgrades to characters and outfits, as well as to the gliders which transport the players into the battle arena. This model for generating revenue seems to have been a success for Epic Games as player spending on the Fortnite mobile app consistently reaches million of U.S. dollars each month.

Since it was first released by developer Bluehole in March 2017, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has developed a loyal legion of fans. While the battle royale game only sold two million copies within the first few months of its Early Access release on Steam, this number had jumped to 50 million units just a year later in June 2018. As of December 2021, PUGB has sold over 75 million units worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In January 2022, the game became free to play, meaning a purchase of the game was no longer necessary to play

One of the biggest games on Steam PUBG is an online multiplayer game which pits up to 100 players against each other at one time. The players must scavenge for weapons and items while killing enemies and trying to survive. The map shrinks over time in order to force the remaining players into combat until only one player or team is left standing. Given the scale of the game, it is unsurprising that it attracts large amounts of players – on the gaming platform Steam, PUBG peaked at almost 3.24 million concurrent players in January 2018. The game is also one of Steam’s biggest draws in terms of hourly average number of players – PUBG averaged almost 177.11 thousand players per hour in 2021. So is the game unrivalled in the battle royale genre?

PUBG’s biggest rival Not if you ask fans of Fortnite. Released by Epic Games in July 2017, just a few months after the launch of PUBG, Fortnite is a similar battle royale survival game. While it is not available on Steam, it can be played on PC as well as on all the main consoles. Similarly to PUBG, Fortnite became an overnight sensation and latest figures have the game at a staggering 350 million registered users. The mobile version of the game has also been a commercial success, generating annual revenue of 455 million U.S. dollars in the Apple App Store in 2018. Given that PUBG won the Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2017 and Fortnite won the very same award a year later, it seems that the rivalry between these games shows no signs of slowing down.