OG Chapter 1 Season Start Sees ‘Fortnite’ Achieve Its Highest Player Count in Years

Fortnite’s ‘OG’ return to the original Chapter 1 map has sparked a resurgence of interest in the game, taking players back to classic zones, weapons, and even the former Fortnite streamers. This revival has been a significant success. Just yesterday, Fortnite reached a peak of 5.8 million concurrent players, marking its highest player count in many years, reminiscent of its golden days. The new season features an ‘OG’ version of the map and a battle pass that seamlessly combines new and old skins, all without the need for complex intellectual property crossovers. It’s highly likely that this resurgence has also led to increased revenue.

However, this renaissance comes at a challenging time for Epic Games, which recently laid off 830 employees, accounting for 16% of the company’s workforce. Part of the blame for this decision was placed on Fortnite no longer being the cash cow it once was, despite CEO Tim Sweeney’s other ventures like the Epic Games Store and the legal battle with Apple. While Fortnite may briefly recapture some of its former glory, it’s uncertain whether this resurgence will be anything more than a temporary uptick.