Fortnite Dominates Console Gaming with Over 1.6 Billion Hours Played in December 2023
Reportedly, console users worldwide logged an unprecedented 1.6 billion hours playing Fortnite during December 2023, as reported by research firm Ampere Analysis. This substantial figure surpassed the combined playtime of other major gaming titles including Call of Duty HQ (Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, and Warzone), EA Sports FC 24, Grand Theft Auto V/Online, and Roblox for the same month.
Epic Games‘ battle royale phenomenon witnessed a substantial surge in user engagement in November, primarily fueled by the launch of Chapter 4 Season OG. This update transported players back to the nostalgic Season 1 island, igniting a wave of excitement among the OG Fortnite community.
November alone witnessed a remarkable 146% increase in Fortnite playtime compared to October. The momentum continued into December, with an additional 9% rise in hours spent as Epic introduced three new permanent game modes to the free-to-play title.
Among these innovative additions, Lego Fortnite, a collaborative venture with The Lego Group, emerged as a survival and crafting experience akin to the popular game Minecraft. Rocket Racing, developed by Psyonix, the studio behind Rocket League, promised a high-octane arcade racing experience. Meanwhile, Fortnite Festival, crafted by Harmonix, the creators of Rock Band, offered a musical gaming experience where players could form bands with friends or go solo with tracks from renowned artists.
Louise Wooldridge, Ampere’s research manager for games, commented on the potential trajectory of Fortnite’s engagement.
As the novelty of Lego Fortnite wears off, Ampere expects engagement to normalize in the coming months.
However, Wooldridge also acknowledged the impact of the confirmed 2024 return of Fortnite OG, the content update from November 2023 that triggered the game’s highest all-time player count, hinting at the possibility of Fortnite’s continued dominance.
Fortnite has not only retained but reinforced its stronghold, leaving other industry giants in its wake. What are your thoughts about this news? Let us know in the comments section below.
