How many people play Fortnite? After bursting onto the scene in 2017, Fortnite has since become a worldwide phenomenon, amassing 650 million players across the globe as of November 2023, up from 400 million in May 2021. Why is Fortnite so popular? The reasons Fortnite has become such a global hit are clear. Not only is the game free to play, but it is also available on most gaming platforms. On top of this, Fortnite's most popular gameplay mode is the battle royale mode, in which up to 100 players fight it at once. This means that the re-playability of the game is infinite – each game is unique. Keeping players engaged with live services Fortnite Battle Royale is also a live service game, meaning that the game receives regular content updates to keep players engaged. Each season of the game roughly lasts 10 weeks and features events such as online concerts, and cosmetic changes. The game’s current iteration is called "鬼HUNTERS (Demon HUNTERS)" with a theme around yōkai, hunters and Japanese culture. Live service games are here to stay By offering cross-platform, multiplayer gaming with a live service schedule, Fortnite covers two of the biggest gaming industry trends, which the majority of the industry intend to follow. A 2023 of global gaming studios found that more than nine in ten studios were either working on or intending to release a live services title. With regular, cadenced, and themed updates to free-to-play games, studios motivate players to keep returning and, eventually, spend not only time but also money on the game. This seems to work for the parent company Epic Games – Fortnite was one of the most downloaded PlayStation F2P game in the EU and North America in 2024.

Video gaming is no longer a hobby exclusively enjoyed by the young. As generations have grown up with video games a normal part of life, the age of the average gamer also increases. During a 2023 survey, 25 percent of video game players still come from the 27 to 42 years age demographic, and 19 percent are 59 years and older. Time spent gaming In 2023, Americans aged between 15 to 19 years spent 98.4 minutes on gaming or leisurely computer use during an average day. The age demographic which devoted the least amount of time to gaming was the 55 to 64 years category. Members of this age demographic spent an average of just 17.4 minutes playing on the computer during an average day.

Mobile Shooter Market Outlook

The global mobile shooter market size was valued at approximately USD 8.5 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 24.3 billion by 2032, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.5%. This significant growth can be attributed to several factors, including advancements in mobile technology, increasing internet penetration, and the rising popularity of mobile games among various age groups.

One of the primary growth factors driving the mobile shooter market is the continuous evolution and improvement of mobile hardware. Modern smartphones come equipped with powerful processors, high-resolution displays, and advanced graphics capabilities, which enhance the gaming experience and make mobile shooter games more appealing. These technological advancements allow for more complex and visually stunning games, which attract a larger audience and drive market growth.

Additionally, the increase in internet penetration and the widespread availability of high-speed mobile networks, such as 4G and the emerging 5G technology, have significantly contributed to the growth of the mobile shooter market. High-speed internet enables seamless online multiplayer experiences, which are a crucial aspect of many mobile shooter games. The ability to play games online with friends and competitors from around the world adds to the appeal and popularity of these games, further boosting market growth.

Another key growth factor is the changing demographics and preferences of gamers. The mobile gaming market is no longer limited to a younger audience; it now includes a diverse range of age groups, including adults who grew up playing video games and continue to enjoy them. The convenience of mobile gaming, which allows people to play anytime and anywhere, has also played a significant role in attracting a broader audience. This expanding demographic base is driving the demand for mobile shooter games and contributing to the overall market growth.

The Battle Royale Game genre has become a significant driver of growth within the mobile shooter market. This genre, known for its intense, last-man-standing gameplay, has captivated a global audience, offering both competitive and casual players an engaging experience. The success of games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite in this category is a testament to the genre's widespread appeal. These games provide players with dynamic environments and strategic challenges, fostering a sense of community and competition. The social and interactive elements of Battle Royale Games, such as teaming up with friends or competing against players worldwide, have further contributed to their popularity and market expansion.

From a regional outlook, the Asia Pacific region holds a dominant position in the mobile shooter market, driven by countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, where mobile gaming is highly popular. North America and Europe also represent significant markets due to their well-established gaming industries and high consumer spending on digital entertainment. The Middle East & Africa and Latin America regions are expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years, fueled by increasing smartphone adoption and improved internet infrastructure.

Game Type Analysis

The mobile shooter market can be segmented by game type into First-Person Shooter (FPS), Third-Person Shooter (TPS), Battle Royale, Tactical Shooter, and others. Each game type offers unique gameplay mechanics and appeals to different segments of the gaming community. The First-Person Shooter (FPS) segment is particularly popular due to its immersive gameplay experience, where players view the action through the eyes of the protagonist. FPS games like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile have garnered massive followings and continue to dominate the market. The realistic graphics and engaging gameplay of FPS games contribute significantly to the market's overall growth.

The Third-Person Shooter (TPS) segment also holds a substantial market share. These games offer a broader field of view and allow players to see their avatars, which can enhance the gameplay experience for some users. TPS games like Fortnite and Garena Free Fire have become immensely popular, especially among younger gamers. The success of these games has led to increased investment in developing high-quality TPS games, which further drives market growth.

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A 2023 survey found that ** percent of children in the United Kingdom aged 12 to 15 years played online games such as Fortnite or Minecraft. Online gaming among children has been increasing in popularity over the recent years and made a huge jump during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First released at the start of 2017, PUBG: Battlegrounds (previously known as PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) is one of the most popular games on Steam and had 861,598 peak concurrent players in the last recorded month, April 2025. The highest number of concurrent players was recorded in January 2018 at 3.24 million. One of the biggest games on Steam PUBG gained a devoted legion of fans in a short space of time after its release, and cumulative unit sales of the game hit 75 million in December 2021. The game has also been critically acclaimed — it won the Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards in 2017 and its free-to-play mobile version for Android and iOS, released in 2018, was nominated for Best Mobile Game at The 2018 Game Awards. This critical success has also translated into commercial success, as the game generated millions of U.S. dollars of revenue, most successfully in the United States. On January 12, 2022, the game has become free to play. Battle of the Battle Royale games PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is an online battle royale game in which up to 100 hundred players battle it out until there is only one player or one team left standing. This format of game has become very popular in recent years. While PUBG has a strong following, especially on Steam, it has come under pressure from rival battle royale game, Fortnite. First released just several months after PUBG, Fortnite has since become a cultural phenomenon, amassing 500 million registered users in just six years. As of 2025, both PUB and Fortnite are still going strong with their loyal audiences.

In March 2025, video streaming platform Twitch had approximately *** million active streamers, down from a peak of **** million in January 2021. The platform experienced a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many new users used the platform to connect with friends or try their hand at livestreaming. However, this trend normalized again towards the end of the year, and the streaming space has also grown more competitive as platforms apart from Twitch have evolved to attract streamers and viewers. Popular content categories on Twitch In 2024, most of the leading content categories on Twitch were all gaming-related – except for the top spot: Just Chatting. The general conversation category accumulated *** billion hours of viewing time in the measured period. In March 2025, global Twitch audiences spent around *** million hours watching Just Chatting content on Twitch, with the average viewer count of such content reaching *** thousand. HasanAbi was the most popular Just Chatting streamer on Twitch in the most recently measured month. Game streamers Twitch is very popular with gamers and gaming audiences, and the ranking of the most popular Twitch streamers reflects this. Ninja (real name: Richard Tyler Blevins), the top-ranked streamer on Twitch, had **** million followers in April 2025. Ninja saw a meteoric rise to fame when he was one of the first top-ranked players to stream the then-newly released Fortnite Battle Royale at the end of 2017. Second-ranked ibai (real name: Ibai Llanos Garatea) was ranked second with ***** million followers on Twitch. With more than **** million followers, Imane Anys, better known as Pokimane, was the only woman among the most-followed Twitch streamers worldwide. Overall, women only accounted for **** percent of the top-ranked Twitch channels.