‘Fortnite’ Effect: The Game Never Ends
Videogame makers targeting the success of the battle-royale blockbuster need to get millions of players in the door—and keep them paying
Some boys are opting to play Fortnite for such long hours that it has become the primary component of their social life. We talked to three friends in San Francisco who obsess over the online game and their parents, who are wrestling with its impact.
Videogames are big business. To get a sense of how big, consider that one giving itself away free has outearned the box-office haul of any Star Wars movie.
The success of that game, the megapopular “Fortnite,” reflects the fast-changing nature of the entertainment complex. Games that were once only retail products shipped to stores as plastic discs are now ongoing services designed to generate revenue well past their initial release.
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