Fortnite is a game that has completely revolutionised the free-to-play battle royale genre. The game burst into the scene in 2017 and has been one of the most played ever since. Fortnite also has a massive presence in the global esports scene, with some of its tournaments considered the best in the industry. If you wish to learn more about Fortnite esports, this guide has everything you need.
Is Fortnite an Esports Game?
Fortnite is a free-to-play, multiplayer battle royale game, and this genre of games typically does well in the esports sector. The game was released in 2017, but it wasn’t in the esports ecosystem until Chapter 1 Season 4 in 2018, and it wasn’t until the Fortnite World Cup in 2019 that the game gained proper traction in this industry. Since then, we have seen a host of Fortnite esports tournaments each year, boasting multi-million prize pools and featuring some of the best Fortnite players and teams.
Best Fortnite Tournaments
For any game to become popular in the esports scene, it needs to have some iconic competitions to show for it, and Fortnite has a whole roster under its belt. Every year, players will see the best Fortnite teams battle it out to get the most significant chunk of the million-dollar prize pool, gaining tremendous respect and fame along the way. Here are some of the best Fortnite esports tournaments:
- Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) is the top-tier competitive league hosted annually.
- Private Tournaments are second-tier competitions hosted by content creators or private organisations.
- Cash Cups are weekly online competitions for high-ranked players to earn cash prizes.
- Limited Time Events: These are special events generally created per the occasion.
- Esports World Cup: Fortnite is a part of the Esports World Cup in the battle royale category.
What is the most valuable Fortnite esports tournament?
The most valuable Fortnite esports tournament is the Fortnite Champion Series or FNCS. The upcoming iteration has a prize pool of more than $2 million.
What is the most popular Fortnite esports tournament?
The most popular Fortnite esports tournament to this day is the Fortnite World Cup in 2019. The competition finals had a peak viewership of over 2.3 million and a prize pool of over $30 million. No other Fortnite esports tournament has come close since then.
Related: Best Esports Tournaments Right Now
Best Fortnite Pro Players
The game’s meta has changed with every new season, which is why players will see new pro faces in each tournament. However, some have also managed to retain their place in the all-time conversation by becoming the top earners in the game. Check out the list of the top Fortnite players in history according to earnings below (via Esports Charts):
Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf
You can only list the best Fortnite esports players by mentioning Bugha. Bugha won the inaugural Fortnite World Cup and acquired over $3 million through the prize pool. He has earned over $3.7 million and plays for Dignitas.
David’ Aqua’ Wang
Aqua is a famous Austrian player who made a name for himself in the Fortnite Duo World Cup and has since won two FNCS competitions. Aqua earned almost $2.2 million from his Fortnite esports career and announced his retirement last year.
Harrison ‘Psalm’ Chang
Psalm is a retired Fortnite player who was once a valuable member of Counter Logic Gaming. He has become a significant part of the Valorant esports scene, but his Fortnite accomplishments will not be forgotten. Psalm has earned more than $1.9 million in their Fortnite esports career.
Shane ‘EpikWhale’ Cotton
EpikWhale is a prolific Fortnite esports player from the United States currently playing for the FaZe Clan. He is slightly shy of the number 3 spot, with his overall earnings reaching over $1.8 million.
Anas El-Abd
Last but not least is the Danish national Anas El-Abd, who is also the top Fortnite earner in the country. Across his career, Anas has made over $1.6 million and is part of Karmine Corp.
Related: Is Esports a Good Career Path?
How to Watch Fortnite Esports?
Like all other competitions, players can live-stream all competitions through Twitch or YouTube—additionally, several content creators or competitors occasionally ‘co-stream’ the gameplay, sometimes with play-by-play commentary.
Best Fortnite Teams
Teams keep interchanging; players who were once foes have now become allies. However, the top organisations have primarily remained the same. Here are some of the top Fortnite esports teams according to overall earnings (via Esports Charts):
- Lazarus: $3.62 million
- Sentinels: $3.33 million
- COOLER Esport: $3.32 million
- FaZe Clan: $2.41 million
- 100 Thieves: $2.36 million
How are Fortnite esports played?
Tournaments are generally played across three game modes: Build, Zero Build and Ranked. The way to earn rewards is by placing high on the leaderboard, which can be done by scoring during matches. There are three categories to gain points across these competitions: kills, survival and wins. The competitions are usually hosted for a limited time, and the teams that score the highest on the leaderboard are dubbed the winners. Moreover, these tournaments also have their custom loot pools and rulesets.
Can you bet on Fortnite esports?
Fortnite is a regular in the esports betting industry, just like several other famous battle royale titles. Most betting interest is generated from North America and the United Kingdom. As FNCS is the most valuable tournament, it is also the most significant market in which to wager bets.
Related: Esports Betting Guide
That’s everything you need to know about Fortnite esports. If you’d like to learn more, leave a comment, and we’ll update this page as needed.
