Industry News · Games market statistics
Fortnite Statistics 2026: Players, Event Records, Creator Payouts, V-Bucks Prices & FTC Refunds
Fortnite had over 400 million registered players by 2021, and 44.7 million played on its biggest day, 4 November 2023, Epic says. Its record live event drew 15.3 million concurrent players. Epic has paid creators over $1 billion since 2023, and since 19 March 2026 $8.99 buys 800 V-Bucks, down from 1,000.
Key takeaways
- Epic’s player counts climbed from 125 million in June 2018 to over 400 million registered players by 2021 and 2022, then stopped: Epic has published no newer registered-player total.
- The biggest single day was 4 November 2023, the Fortnite OG launch weekend, with 44.7 million players and 102 million hours; the biggest live event was Galactus in December 2020 with 15.3 million concurrent players.
- Creator islands are now a large business: over $1 billion paid since UEFN launched in 2023, $352 million in 2024 alone, and seven creators earned more than $10 million each in 2024.
- V-Bucks got 25% dearer per coin on 19 March 2026: the $8.99 pack now holds 800 V-Bucks instead of 1,000, and Fortnite Crew’s monthly grant fell to 800 too.
- The FTC’s 2022 settlement cost Epic $520 million; of the $245 million set aside for players, the FTC had paid out nearly $200 million in two rounds by June 2025.
- Epic’s own memos tie its finances to Fortnite: it cut about 830 jobs in 2023 and over 1,000 in March 2026, blaming a drop in Fortnite engagement that began in 2025.
Key figures
44.7 million
players on Fortnite’s biggest day ever, 4 November 2023
A Saturday during the Fortnite OG season (#FortniteOG). A daily total, not a concurrent peak.
15.3 million
concurrent players at the Galactus live event, Fortnite’s biggest ever
The Marvel Nexus War event with Galactus, 1 December 2020 (US time). Disney repeated the figure in February 2024.
Over 400 million
registered Fortnite players worldwide
The court’s finding of fact in Epic v. Apple. The FTC used the same “more than 400 million users” in December 2022; Epic has not published a newer total since.
Over $1 billion
paid to Fortnite island developers since UEFN launched in March 2023
Announced at Unreal Fest Chicago on 17 June 2026; Epic’s developer page says the money went to third-party developers.
7 creators
earned $10 million or more from Fortnite in 2024
14 earned $3 million or more and 37 earned $1 million or more (tiers include the ones above them).
800 V-Bucks for $8.99
the smallest standard V-Bucks pack in the US, down from 1,000
From 19 March 2026. Epic said: “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot.” The US Xbox Store lists the same $8.99 price.
$520 million
total Epic agreed to pay to settle two FTC cases over Fortnite
A $275 million COPPA penalty (the largest ever for breaking an FTC rule) plus $245 million in refunds for dark-pattern purchases.
Nearly $200 million
refunded to Fortnite players by the FTC so far, of the $245 million fund
About 81% of the fund (our calculation on $72M + $126M). The FTC expects more payments in 2026; claims closed on 9 July 2025.
How many people play Fortnite?
Epic has never published a monthly active player series for Fortnite. What it has published are milestones: 125 million players in June 2018, nearly 250 million in March 2019 and over 350 million registered players in May 2020. A US court found “over 400 million” registered players in September 2021, and the FTC used the same figure in December 2022. Since then Epic has talked about days, events and hours instead of totals.[1][2][3][4][5]
Fortnite player milestones announced by Epic, a court and the FTC
Source: Epic Games (Fortnite) — Announcing 2018-2019 Fortnite Competitive Season (12 June 2018); Epic Games (Unreal Engine) — Epic Games launches Epic MegaGrants, new Unreal Engine technology, and Epic Online Services at GDC 2019 (20 March 2019); Epic Games (@Fortnite on X) — “Fortnite now has over 350 million registered players!” (6 May 2020); US District Court, Northern District of California — Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc., Rule 52 Order After Trial on the Merits, Case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR, Dkt. 812 (10 September 2021); Federal Trade Commission — Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges (19 December 2022)
Over 400 million
registered Fortnite players worldwide
The court’s finding of fact in Epic v. Apple. The FTC used the same “more than 400 million users” in December 2022; Epic has not published a newer total since.
More than 400 million
Fortnite users worldwide, per the FTC
Stated in the FTC’s settlement announcement. “Users” means accounts, not people playing today.
Over 350 million
registered Fortnite players
Announced by Epic on 6 May 2020, during the first pandemic lockdowns.
Over 3.2 billion hours
played in Fortnite in one month
April 2020. Epic has not published a monthly total since.
Nearly 250 million
Fortnite players
Epic gave the figure at GDC on 20 March 2019, when it announced Epic Online Services.
125 million
Fortnite players less than a year after Battle Royale launched
Epic’s first big milestone, posted with the 2018–2019 competitive season announcement.
About 15 million
daily players in Creative and Party Royale, nearly half of Fortnite’s daily players
Testimony quoted in the court’s findings; it implies roughly 30 million daily players at the time (our calculation from “nearly half”).
44.7 million
players on Fortnite’s biggest day ever, 4 November 2023
A Saturday during the Fortnite OG season (#FortniteOG). A daily total, not a concurrent peak.
102 million hours
played in Fortnite on 4 November 2023
About 2.3 hours per player that day (our calculation: 102 million ÷ 44.7 million).
More than 80 million
people played the Fortnite | Simpsons season, for over 750 million hours
Fall 2025 mini-season, reported by Epic at Unreal Fest in June 2026.
Nearly 8 million
players in custom Star Wars islands within 72 hours of launch
Creator-built Star Wars games, May 2026; Epic called it record engagement.
What these numbers do not say: a registered account is not a player. “400 million” counts every account ever made, including people who tried the game once in 2018. The best signal of active use is the daily record, 44.7 million on 4 November 2023, and Epic’s own March 2026 memo saying engagement fell from 2025. No first-party figure tells you how many people play Fortnite this month.[6][34]
Biggest Fortnite live events and concurrent player records
Largest Fortnite live events by players in game, as announced by Epic
Source: Epic Games (@Fortnite on X) — “Over 12.3 million concurrent players participated live in Travis Scott’s Astronomical” (24 April 2020, UTC); Epic Games (@EpicNewsroom on X) — “Today’s in-game Fortnite event was our biggest ever” (1 December 2020, US time); Epic Games (@Fortnite on X) — “You. Showed. Up.” Remix: The Finale (30 November 2024); Epic Games (@Fortnite on X) — “10.5M of you joined us in-game for Zero Hour” (29 November 2025)
15.3 million
concurrent players at the Galactus live event, Fortnite’s biggest ever
The Marvel Nexus War event with Galactus, 1 December 2020 (US time). Disney repeated the figure in February 2024.
More than 14 million
concurrent players at Remix: The Finale, a record for an in-game concert
Epic estimated that more than 3 million more people streamed it online.
12.3 million
concurrent players at Travis Scott’s Astronomical premiere
Epic called it an all-time record at the time.
27.7 million
unique players at Astronomical, attending 45.8 million times across five shows
10.5 million
players in game for the Zero Hour live event, plus 3 million+ on livestreams
Epic’s post says “joined us in-game” and does not call it concurrent.
Fortnite creator economy: payouts to island developers
Since March 2023 Epic has put 40% of Fortnite’s net Item Shop and real-money revenue into an “engagement pool” and split it among island publishers, including its own islands such as Battle Royale. Payouts reached $352 million in 2024, $722 million to date by September 2025 and over $1 billion by June 2026. In-island item sales, live since 9 January 2026, are a second income stream on top.[16][15][14][12]
Over $1 billion
paid to Fortnite island developers since UEFN launched in March 2023
Announced at Unreal Fest Chicago on 17 June 2026; Epic’s developer page says the money went to third-party developers.
$722 million
paid to creators to date, across 11.2 billion hours in 260,000 live islands
So roughly $280 million or more was paid between September 2025 and June 2026 (our calculation).
$352 million
paid to Fortnite island creators in 2024
Up 11% on March–December 2023 (engagement payouts began in March 2023, so full-year growth is not comparable).
7 creators
earned $10 million or more from Fortnite in 2024
14 earned $3 million or more and 37 earned $1 million or more (tiers include the ones above them).
12,909
creators earned at least $100, the payout minimum
About 18% of the 70,000 creators active in 2024 (our calculation); 1,728 earned $10,000 or more.
5.23 billion hours
played in creator-made islands, 36.5% of all Fortnite playtime
Up 5% from 4.98 billion hours in 2023. It implies about 14.3 billion hours of Fortnite in total in 2024 (our calculation).
198,000
islands published in 2024, 137,000 of them made in UEFN
Double the year before. On an average day nearly 60,000 creator islands were played.
More than 345,000
games in Fortnite built with Unreal Editor for Fortnite
Fortnite creators by 2024 payout
40%
of Fortnite’s net Item Shop and real-money revenue goes into the creator engagement pool
Epic’s own islands, including Battle Royale, are paid from the same pool, so creators receive less than 40%.
100% → 50%
of V-Bucks value developers keep from items sold in their islands
100% until 31 January 2027, then 50%. Epic says 100% of V-Bucks value is about 74% of what players paid, and 50% about 37%.
26%
average platform and store fee on Fortnite V-Bucks purchases
From 12% on the Epic Games Store to 30% on consoles, per Epic.
| Stream | What goes in | Developer share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement payouts | 40% of net revenue from the Item Shop, V-Bucks, real-money offers and Fortnite Crew | Split by engagement among all islands, Epic’s included | 1 March 2023 |
| New-player rewards | Pool contributions of new or returning players an island brings in | 75% of those contributions for six months | 1 November 2025 |
| In-island transactions | V-Bucks spent on items sold inside an island | 100% of V-Bucks value (about 74% of retail) to 31 January 2027, then 50% (about 37%) | 9 January 2026 |
| Sponsored Row | Money creators bid for placement in Discover | 100% to the engagement pool through 2026, then 50% | 24 November 2025 |
From November 2025 only playtime from players who have made a purchase counts toward engagement payouts.
Source: Epic Games (Fortnite) — Introducing Creator Economy 2.0 (22 March 2023); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite Developers Will Soon Be Able to Sell In-Game Items (18 September 2025, updated)
What changed: payouts are concentrated. Only 12,909 of 70,000 creators in 2024 reached the $100 payout minimum, and seven earned over $10 million. What the totals do not say is how much Epic keeps: the 40% pool also pays Epic’s own islands, and Epic does not publish Fortnite revenue. For the store side of Epic’s business, see our Epic Games Store statistics report.[15][16]
V-Bucks and Fortnite Crew prices
US price of 1,000 V-Bucks in the base pack, on PC and consoles
Source: US District Court, Northern District of California — Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc., Rule 52 Order After Trial on the Merits, Case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR, Dkt. 812 (10 September 2021); Epic Games (Fortnite) — The Fortnite Mega Drop - Permanent Discounts Up to 20% (13 August 2020); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Upcoming Fortnite Pricing Alignment in … the United States in October 2023 (27 September 2023); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite V-Bucks Price Increase (10 March 2026)
| Price (US) | V-Bucks from Oct 2023 | V-Bucks from Mar 2026 | Change per V-Buck | Epic Rewards back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $8.99 | 1,000 | 800 | +25% | $1.79 |
| $22.99 | 2,800 | 2,400 | +17% | $4.59 |
| $36.99 | 5,000 | 4,500 | +11% | $7.39 |
| $89.99 | 13,500 | 12,500 | +8% | $17.99 |
| Exact amount | ~$0.50 per 50 | $0.99 per 50 | about +98% | — |
Change per V-Buck is our calculation. Epic Rewards apply only when paying through Epic’s payment system on PC, mobile and web.
Source: Epic Games (Fortnite) — Upcoming Fortnite Pricing Alignment in … the United States in October 2023 (27 September 2023); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite V-Bucks Price Increase (10 March 2026); Microsoft (Xbox Store, US) — Fortnite V-Bucks packs, US catalogue (800, 2,400, 4,500 and 12,500 V-Bucks)
800 V-Bucks for $8.99
the smallest standard V-Bucks pack in the US, down from 1,000
From 19 March 2026. Epic said: “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot.” The US Xbox Store lists the same $8.99 price.
$11.24
effective US price of 1,000 V-Bucks in the base pack
Up 25% from $8.99 before 19 March 2026 (our calculation: $8.99 ÷ 800 × 1,000). The $89.99 pack fell from 13,500 to 12,500 V-Bucks, about 8% dearer per coin.
$8.99
US price of 1,000 V-Bucks after Epic’s October 2023 price rise
From 27 October 2023, up from $7.99. Epic cited inflation and currency movements.
$7.99
US price of 1,000 V-Bucks after the 2020 “Mega Drop”
Up to 20% off on consoles, PC and Epic direct payment from 13 August 2020; App Store and Google Play stayed at $9.99. The same day triggered Fortnite’s removal from iOS.
$9.99
price of 1,000 V-Bucks before August 2020
The court lists 2,800 for $24.99 and 13,500 for $99.99. Sweeney testified V-Bucks have no marginal cost to Epic.
800 V-Bucks
price of the Battle Royale Battle Pass, which now pays back 800 V-Bucks
Down from 1,000 (it rose from 950 to 1,000 in December 2024). Before March 2026 the pass could return 1,500 V-Bucks with bonus rewards.
$11.99 a month
US price of Fortnite Crew, unchanged since launch
Launched 2 December 2020 with 1,000 V-Bucks a month; since March 2026 the grant is 800. Crew now covers the Battle, OG, LEGO and Music passes. fortnite.com shows local prices by location.
20% back
in Epic Rewards on Fortnite purchases made through Epic’s payment system
Only when paying through Epic’s system on PC, iOS, Android and web, since 9 May 2025; it works out to $1.79 back on the $8.99 pack.
The 2026 change raised prices without changing a price tag: every pack kept its dollar price and lost V-Bucks, while the Battle Pass, OG Pass and Crew grant were cut by the same proportion. A Battle Pass still pays for the next one, but there are no longer bonus V-Bucks on top. Gift cards bought earlier still redeem at their printed V-Bucks value, Epic says.[22]
The FTC settlement and Fortnite refunds
In December 2022 the FTC announced two settlements with Epic over Fortnite: a $275 million penalty for collecting children’s data without parental consent (COPPA) and $245 million to refund players charged through “dark patterns”, such as buying an item by pressing a button while waking the game. The FTC emailed more than 37 million people about claims and has paid two rounds of refunds.[5][28]
$520 million
total Epic agreed to pay to settle two FTC cases over Fortnite
A $275 million COPPA penalty (the largest ever for breaking an FTC rule) plus $245 million in refunds for dark-pattern purchases.
$245 million
set aside to refund Fortnite players, the FTC’s largest refund in a gaming case
Covers unwanted in-game charges from January 2017 to September 2022, children’s card charges to November 2018 and accounts locked after disputes.
More than 1 million
user complaints about wrongful charges that Epic ignored, the FTC alleged
More than 37 million
people emailed by the FTC that they might be owed a refund
$72 million+
sent in the first round of Fortnite refunds, 629,344 payments averaging about $114
$126 million+
sent in the second round, 969,173 payments
About $130 per payment on average (our calculation).
Nearly $200 million
refunded to Fortnite players by the FTC so far, of the $245 million fund
About 81% of the fund (our calculation on $72M + $126M). The FTC expects more payments in 2026; claims closed on 9 July 2025.
| Date | Event | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec 2022 | Settlements announced | $520M ($275M penalty + $245M refunds) | — |
| Mar 2023 | Refund order finalised | $245M | — |
| Sep–Oct 2023 | Claims notices emailed | — | 37M+ people notified |
| Jan 2024 | Claims deadline extended to 29 Feb 2024 | — | — |
| Dec 2024 | First refund round | $72M+ | 629,344 (avg ~$114) |
| 25–26 Jun 2025 | Second refund round; claims reopened to 9 Jul 2025 | $126M+ | 969,173 |
Source: Federal Trade Commission — Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges (19 December 2022); Federal Trade Commission — FTC Announces Claims Process for Fortnite Players Who Were Charged for Unwanted Items (September 2023); Federal Trade Commission — FTC Extends Deadline for Fortnite Players to Request Refunds for Unwanted Items (January 2024); Federal Trade Commission — FTC Sends Refund Payments to Consumers Impacted by Epic Games’ Unlawful Billing Practices (December 2024); Federal Trade Commission — FTC Sends $126 Million in Refunds to Fortnite Players Who Were Charged for Unwanted Items, Reopens Claims Process (June 2025); Federal Trade Commission — Fortnite Refunds
What it does not say: the refund is not a fixed amount per player. The FTC says each payment depends on how many valid claims there are, and it expects to send more payments in 2026 after checking the remaining claims. The order requires it to get consent before charging and bans locking accounts over disputed charges.[32]
Fortnite on iPhone and Android: what the court record shows
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 13 Aug 2020 | Epic switches on direct payment in Fortnite; Apple removes it from the App Store the same morning |
| 10 Sep 2021 | Court rules mostly for Apple but finds its anti-steering rules unlawful |
| 20 May 2025 | Fortnite returns to the US App Store, and to the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Fortnite returns to Google Play worldwide |
| 19 May 2026 | Fortnite returns to the App Store worldwide, except Australia |
Source: US District Court, Northern District of California — Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc., Rule 52 Order After Trial on the Merits, Case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR, Dkt. 812 (10 September 2021); Epic Games (@Fortnite on X) — “Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the U.S.” (20 May 2025); Epic Games — Fortnite Launches on Google Play Worldwide in Time for Fortnite Showdown (19 March 2026); Epic Games — Fortnite is Back on the App Store Around the World as The Final Battle Approaches (19 May 2026)
More than 115 million
registered players had played Fortnite on an iOS device before Apple removed it
64% of them, about 73 million, had only ever played on iOS.
More than $700 million
earned by Epic from Fortnite on iOS in about two years
Across over 100 million iOS accounts, before Apple removed the game in August 2020.
93%
of Fortnite revenue came from platforms other than iOS
Only 13.2% of paying players made a purchase on iOS between March 2018 and July 2020, and iOS was about 10% of daily active users.
82.7%
of Fortnite players play on a single platform
Evidence cited by the court; other evidence put the share playing on several platforms at 32% to 52%.
The court’s figures explain why Epic could afford to leave iOS: 93% of Fortnite revenue came from other platforms. They also show why it wanted back in: 73 million people had only ever played on an iPhone or iPad. Epic’s 2026 memo says it is “only in the early stages of returning to mobile”, and Epic said in June 2026 that mobile playtime in developer-made games had more than doubled in a year.[4][34][12]
Fortnite and Epic’s finances
Over 1,000
Epic employees laid off, blamed on a Fortnite engagement downturn that began in 2025
Together with over $500 million of other cost savings. Tim Sweeney wrote Epic was “spending significantly more than we’re making”.
About 830 (16%)
Epic employees laid off in 2023
Sweeney said creator-led growth with “significant revenue sharing” was a lower-margin business than Battle Royale.
$1.5 billion
invested by Disney for an equity stake in Epic, with a Disney universe connected to Fortnite
$31.5 billion
Epic’s post-money valuation after a $2 billion round from Sony and KIRKBI
$1 billion each from Sony and LEGO’s family holding company. Epic has not disclosed a later valuation.
Epic is private and reports no revenue, so its staff memos are the clearest first-party view of how Fortnite is doing. In 2023 Tim Sweeney said Fortnite was “starting to grow again” but on lower margins because creators share the revenue. In March 2026 he blamed a downturn in Fortnite engagement starting in 2025 for spending “significantly more than we’re making”, five days after the V-Bucks price rise took effect.[33][34][22]
Fortnite esports prize pools (FNCS and the World Cup)
Fortnite Championship Series total prize pool by year
Source: Epic Games (Fortnite) — Roadmap to the Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship 2023 (11 January 2023); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) 2024 Details; Epic Games (Fortnite) — FNCS is Back for 2025! (13 November 2024); Epic Games (Fortnite Competitive) — $10,000,000 Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) 2026
| Year | Event | Venue | Format | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Fortnite World Cup Finals (Solo and Duos) | Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York | 100 solos, 50 duos | $30,000,000 |
| 2023 | FNCS Global Championship | Copenhagen, Denmark | 75 duos | $4,000,000 |
| 2024 | FNCS Global Championship | Dickies Arena, Fort Worth | 100 players (duos) | $2,002,000 |
| 2025 | Fortnite Global Championship | LDLC Arena, Lyon-Décines | 33 trios | $2,001,000 |
| 2026 | Fortnite Global Championship | Lotto Arena, Antwerp | 50 duos | $2,000,000 |
Source: Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite World Cup Details and 2019 Prize Pool Info (22 February 2019); Epic Games (Fortnite) — Roadmap to the Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship 2023 (11 January 2023); Epic Games (Fortnite) — FNCS Global Championship 2024 Primer + Onsite Guide; Epic Games (Fortnite) — Competitors Are Locked & Loaded for the Fortnite Globals 2025!; Epic Games (Fortnite) — Fortnite Global Championship 2026 Primer (22 September 2026)
$100 million
pledged by Epic for Fortnite competitive prize pools in 2018–2019
$30 million
prize pool of the 2019 Fortnite World Cup Solo and Duos Finals
Bugha won $3 million in Solos. Over 40 million players took part; the Solo Finals peaked at 2.3 million concurrent viewers on YouTube and Twitch, with 19,000 fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Over $10 million
total prize pool of the Fortnite Championship Series in 2026
Up from $8 million in 2025 and $7.675 million in 2024.
$2 million
prize pool of the 2026 Fortnite Global Championship in Antwerp
50 duos over 12 matches, 26–27 September 2026, at the Lotto Arena. Half the $4 million of 2023.
$450,000
first prize at the 2025 Fortnite Global Championship (trios)
Out of $2,001,000; 33 trios played in Lyon-Décines on 6–7 September 2025.
Methodology and caveats
We read every figure on 23 October 2026 from the page it links to: Epic’s posts on fortnite.com, epicgames.com, unrealengine.com and the Epic Games Store, Epic’s official posts on X, the Epic v. Apple Rule 52 order, FTC press releases and its refunds page, Disney’s press release and the US Xbox Store catalogue. Nothing was taken from other statistics sites.
Posts on X were read through X’s public embed data; the 2024 creator payout tiers were read from Epic’s infographic image in its ecosystem review.
Court figures are the judge’s findings of fact, drawn from Epic’s own data and testimony; they describe the period to mid-2020.
US prices are before tax. Pack contents come from Epic’s announcements; the 2026 prices were also checked in the US Xbox Store.
Sums, averages and percentage changes marked “our calculation” are our arithmetic on the published figures.
- Epic does not publish Fortnite revenue, monthly active players or concurrent player counts outside live events, so there is no first-party time series of active players.
- Player milestones mix “players”, “registered players” and “users”; all count accounts ever created, not current players.
- Live-event figures are Epic’s rounded announcements; some events (Marshmello 2019, The Big Bang 2023) have no Epic figure and are missing.
- Creator payout totals include in-island transaction earnings from January 2026; the 2024 figure is engagement payouts only.
- The latest US Fortnite Crew price in Epic’s own words is from November 2024; fortnite.com shows prices by visitor location.
How we research and correct our content is set out in our editorial policy.
Fortnite Statistics 2026: FAQ
How many people play Fortnite?
Fortnite had over 400 million registered players by September 2021, according to the court in Epic v. Apple, and the FTC used the same figure in 2022. Epic has not published a newer total or a monthly player count. Its biggest single day was 4 November 2023, with 44.7 million players.
What is the most players Fortnite has ever had at once?
The Galactus live event on 1 December 2020 drew 15.3 million concurrent players, Fortnite’s record according to Epic. Remix: The Finale in November 2024 drew more than 14 million, a record for an in-game concert, and Travis Scott’s Astronomical drew 12.3 million in April 2020.
How much does Fortnite pay creators?
Epic has paid over $1 billion to Fortnite island developers since Unreal Editor for Fortnite launched in March 2023, including $352 million in 2024. Payouts are concentrated: in 2024 seven creators earned over $10 million, but only 12,909 of 70,000 creators reached the $100 minimum.
How much do V-Bucks cost in 2026?
Since 19 March 2026, $8.99 buys 800 V-Bucks in the US, down from 1,000. The other packs are 2,400 for $22.99, 4,500 for $36.99 and 12,500 for $89.99. That makes 1,000 V-Bucks in the base pack about $11.24, 25% more than before.
How much was the Fortnite FTC settlement and have refunds been paid?
Epic agreed in December 2022 to pay $520 million: a $275 million penalty and $245 million for refunds. The FTC has sent two rounds of refunds, over $72 million in December 2024 and over $126 million in June 2025, nearly $200 million in all, and expects more payments in 2026.
How much does Fortnite Crew cost?
Fortnite Crew costs $11.99 a month in the US, the same price as at launch in December 2020. It includes the Battle Pass, OG Pass, LEGO Pass and Music Pass, a monthly Crew Pack and 800 V-Bucks a month (1,000 before March 2026).
What is the biggest Fortnite prize pool?
The 2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals had a $30 million prize pool, and Bugha won $3 million in Solos. Epic pledged $100 million for competitive play that year. In 2026 the Fortnite Championship Series has over $10 million in total, with $2 million at the Global Championship in Antwerp.
Cite or reuse these statistics
Every figure in this report is free to reuse in articles, videos, research and AI-written content under CC BY 4.0. The one condition: credit Virtwave with a link to this page, so your readers can check the number and see when it was last updated.
https://www.virtwave.com/industry-news/fortnite-statistics<a href="https://www.virtwave.com/industry-news/fortnite-statistics">Fortnite Statistics 2026 (Virtwave)</a>Haddad, N. (2026). Fortnite Statistics 2026. Virtwave. https://www.virtwave.com/industry-news/fortnite-statisticsSources
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyAnnouncing 2018-2019 Fortnite Competitive Season (12 June 2018)Accessed — “In less than a year, Fortnite has grown to 125 million players.”
- Epic Games (Unreal Engine)First-partyEpic Games launches Epic MegaGrants, new Unreal Engine technology, and Epic Online Services at GDC 2019 (20 March 2019)Accessed — Fortnite “has nearly 250 million players”.
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“Fortnite now has over 350 million registered players!” (6 May 2020)Accessed — 350 million registered players; over 3.2 billion hours played in April 2020.
- US District Court, Northern District of CaliforniaFirst-partyEpic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc., Rule 52 Order After Trial on the Merits, Case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR, Dkt. 812 (10 September 2021)Accessed — Official court record (CourtListener RECAP copy). Findings of fact from Epic’s data: registered players p.8, V-Bucks prices p.12, iOS players and revenue p.15, removal date p.16, multi-platform play p.54, iOS share of daily users p.85.
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges (19 December 2022)Accessed — Regulator’s announcement: $520M total, $275M COPPA penalty, $245M refunds, 400M+ users, 1M+ complaints ignored.
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“Yesterday was the biggest day in Fortnite’s history” (5 November 2023)Accessed — Over 44.7 million players and 102 million hours on 4 November 2023.
- Epic Games (@EpicNewsroom on X)First-party“Today’s in-game Fortnite event was our biggest ever” (1 December 2020, US time)Accessed — Record 15.3 million concurrent players.
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“You. Showed. Up.” Remix: The Finale (30 November 2024)Accessed — More than 14 million concurrent players; more than 3 million estimated streamers; all-time record for an in-game concert.
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“Over 12.3 million concurrent players participated live in Travis Scott’s Astronomical” (24 April 2020, UTC)Accessed
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“Over 27.7 million unique players in-game participated live 45.8 million times” (27 April 2020)Accessed
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“10.5M of you joined us in-game for Zero Hour” (29 November 2025)Accessed — 10.5 million in game, 3 million+ on livestream platforms.
- Epic Games (Unreal Engine)First-partyState of Unreal 2026: Top news from the show (17 June 2026)Accessed — Over $1 billion paid to Fortnite developers since UEFN launch; mobile playtime in developer games more than doubled; Simpsons season 80M+ players / 750M+ hours; Star Wars islands nearly 8M players in 72 hours.
- Epic Games (Fortnite for developers)First-partyFortnite Platform & Economy: Reach Players and MonetizeAccessed — “Over $1 billion has already been paid out to third-party Fortnite Developers.”
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Developers Will Soon Be Able to Sell In-Game Items (18 September 2025, updated)Accessed — $722M paid to date, 11.2B hours, 260,000 live islands; 100%/50% in-island rates; 26% average store fees; new-player rewards; Sponsored Row. Its update is dated “November 26, 2026”, a typo for 2025.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Ecosystem 2024 Year in Review: Celebrating Creators and Looking Ahead (22 January 2025)Accessed — $352M payouts, 70,000 creators, 198,000 islands, 5.23B hours (36.5%), and the creator-count-by-payout infographic.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyIntroducing Creator Economy 2.0 (22 March 2023)Accessed — 40% of net Item Shop and real-money revenue into the engagement pool from 1 March 2023.
- Epic GamesFirst-partyFortnite Launches on Google Play Worldwide in Time for Fortnite Showdown (19 March 2026)Accessed — More than 345,000 games built with UEFN.
- Epic GamesFirst-partyFortnite is Back on the App Store Around the World as The Final Battle Approaches (19 May 2026)Accessed — Worldwide App Store return; not yet in Australia.
- Epic Games (@Fortnite on X)First-party“Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the U.S.” (20 May 2025)Accessed
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyThe Fortnite Mega Drop - Permanent Discounts Up to 20% (13 August 2020)Accessed — 1,000 V-Bucks $7.99 (Epic) vs $9.99 (Google Play, App Store).
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyUpcoming Fortnite Pricing Alignment in … the United States in October 2023 (27 September 2023)Accessed — US from 27 October 2023: 1,000 $8.99; 2,800 $22.99; 5,000 $36.99; 13,500 $89.99.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite V-Bucks Price Increase (10 March 2026)Accessed — Pack tiers before and after 19 March 2026, Epic Rewards amounts, Battle Pass and other pass prices, Crew grant cut to 800.
- Microsoft (Xbox Store, US)First-partyFortnite V-Bucks packs, US catalogue (800, 2,400, 4,500 and 12,500 V-Bucks)Accessed — Official store listing: $8.99, $22.99, $36.99 and $89.99.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyThe Ultimate Fortnite Offer: Announcing Fortnite Crew (24 November 2020)Accessed — $11.99 a month from 2 December 2020 with 1,000 V-Bucks.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Crew Will Include the Battle Pass, LEGO Pass, Music Pass, and More Starting in December! (20 November 2024)Accessed — “For $11.99 a month”; Battle Pass from 950 to 1,000 V-Bucks on 1 December 2024.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Crew | Monthly SubscriptionAccessed — Current benefits: Battle, OG, LEGO and Music passes, 800 V-Bucks. Shows a local price by visitor location.
- Epic Games StoreFirst-partyBetter Deals in Fortnite and More: Players Get 20% Back in Epic Rewards Starting Today (9 May 2025)Accessed
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFTC Announces Claims Process for Fortnite Players Who Were Charged for Unwanted Items (September 2023)Accessed — More than 37 million people to be notified; original deadline 17 January 2024.
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFTC Extends Deadline for Fortnite Players to Request Refunds for Unwanted Items (January 2024)Accessed — New deadline 29 February 2024; 37 million+ notified in September and October 2023.
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFTC Sends Refund Payments to Consumers Impacted by Epic Games’ Unlawful Billing Practices (December 2024)Accessed — 629,344 payments, more than $72 million, average about $114.
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFTC Sends $126 Million in Refunds to Fortnite Players Who Were Charged for Unwanted Items, Reopens Claims Process (June 2025)Accessed — 969,173 payments; total refunds nearly $200 million; claims reopened to 9 July 2025.
- Federal Trade CommissionFirst-partyFortnite RefundsAccessed — Claims closed 9 July 2025; additional payments expected in 2026; eligibility periods.
- Epic GamesFirst-partyLayoffs at Epic (28 September 2023)Accessed — Around 830 employees, 16% of jobs; Tim Sweeney’s email to staff.
- Epic GamesFirst-partyToday’s layoffs (24 March 2026)Accessed — Over 1,000 employees and over $500 million of other savings; Fortnite engagement downturn since 2025.
- Epic GamesFirst-partySony and KIRKBI Invest in Epic Games to Build the Future of Digital Entertainment (11 April 2022)Accessed — $2 billion round, $1 billion each; $31.5 billion post-money valuation.
- The Walt Disney CompanyFirst-partyDisney and Epic Games to Create Expansive and Open Games and Entertainment Universe Connected to Fortnite (7 February 2024)Accessed — Party to the deal: $1.5 billion equity stake; also cites Galactus’s 15.3 million concurrent players.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyEpic Games Will Provide $100,000,000 for Fortnite Esports Tournament Prize Pools in the First Year of Competitive Play (21 May 2018)Accessed
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite World Cup Details and 2019 Prize Pool Info (22 February 2019)Accessed — $100,000,000 for 2019; $30,000,000 Finals; top 100 solos and 50 duos; $3,000,000 to the Solo champion.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyThe Fortnite World Cup | A Record-Setting Tournament (31 July 2019)Accessed — Over 40 million players participated; 19,000 attended; 2.3 million peak concurrent viewers; winners and prizes.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyRoadmap to the Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship 2023 (11 January 2023)Accessed — FNCS 2023 total $10,000,000; Global Championship in Copenhagen, 75 duos, $4,000,000.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Championship Series (FNCS) 2024 DetailsAccessed — $7,675,000 total for 2024.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFNCS Global Championship 2024 Primer + Onsite GuideAccessed — $2,002,000 at Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, 7–8 September 2024; 100 players.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFNCS is Back for 2025! (13 November 2024)Accessed — $8,000,000 across all regions and events.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyCompetitors Are Locked & Loaded for the Fortnite Globals 2025!Accessed — $2,001,000 prize pool distribution; 1st $450,000.
- Epic Games (Fortnite Competitive)First-party$10,000,000 Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) 2026Accessed — Total prize pool over $10,000,000; $1,000,000 Major 1 Summit; $2,000,000 Championship.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)First-partyFortnite Global Championship 2026 Primer (22 September 2026)Accessed — 50 duos, 12 matches, $2,000,000, Lotto Arena Antwerp, 26–27 September 2026.
Who compiled this report
Data & Market Research Lead, Virtwave · Built and maintains this calculator
Noor runs market research for Virtwave, tracking gift card volumes, redemption patterns and fraud trends across the 80+ countries we deliver to. She compiles our data reports from primary government sources (FTC, central banks) and the major market-research houses, and cross-checks every figure against our own transaction data before publication.
Senior Gaming Commerce Editor, Virtwave · Checks every figure before an update
Rayyan covers console and PC gaming wallets for Virtwave, with deep specialism in PlayStation Network, Xbox, Razer Gold and Steam. He has been writing about digital gaming commerce since 2020.
Virtwave sells game keys and gift cards, including Steam wallet codes. No platform or publisher paid for, reviewed or approved this report.
Update history
Published 23 Oct 2026 with Epic’s posts on fortnite.com, epicgames.com and unrealengine.com (player milestones 2018–2020, creator economy 2023–2026, V-Bucks prices 2020–2026, Fortnite Crew, FNCS 2019–2026, layoffs and investments), Epic’s posts on X for event records, the Epic v. Apple Rule 52 order, the FTC’s Epic Games releases to June 2025 and refunds page, Disney’s February 2024 release and the US Xbox Store.