Fortnite is more than a video game at this point. Epic Games' title has become a cultural phenomenon. The battle royale styled game is free-to-play, but that hasn't stopped Epic Games from swimming in money. Micro-transactions that power the Battle Pass and Fortnite seasons keep gamers spending money. So much money in fact, that Fortnite has become one of the most lucrative video games of all time.
According to a new study conducted by research firm SuperData, Fortnite has amassed over $1 billion since it was released last year. The study centers around the emergence of battle royale styled games, and how they have come to dominate the streaming market. Fortnite is the number one streamed game in the world by far, which has led Epic Games to start their own eSports league. SuperData predicts that the battle royale market revenue will increase 625% by next year when games like Call of Duty: Black Op 4 drop (COD has implemented battle royale style games into their newest title).
Fortnite has recently begun its fifth season, which was ushered in by a rocket launch that tore a portal in the video game's reality. A chunk of the map has since been converted into a desert.