It’s happening again; this isn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last. Rumors are once again circulating all over the internet that Fortnite is about to shut down. Frankly, this isn’t surprising considering the many challenges Epic Games has dealt with in the past months.
Putting one or two together, players concluding that Fortnite is shutting down isn’t entirely out of place. You can read more news esports about Epic Games, which recently experienced a workforce reduction of approximately 830 employees. This occurred shortly after the company revealed plans to raise the prices of V-Bucks.
While these developments suggest challenges within the Fortnite creator, it’s important to note that this does not imply the game’s closure. Here begs the question: Are the rumors true this time around? Is there any truth to Fortnite shutting down in 2024?
Is Fortnite Shutting Down This Year?
Following the statistics, online Live service games only have continuity as long as the servers run smoothly. As a result, Fortnite fans every now and then worry that their favorite game might shut down anytime soon. This means years of hard-earned progress and money spent on skins will be gone forever.
But that isn’t happening anytime soon with Fortnite. The rumors surrounding the shutdown of Fortnite are unfounded. These rumors have surfaced before and will likely resurface again. Many Fortnite players have expressed concerns stemming from a tweet proclaiming the imminent closure of the video game.
However, it’s essential to clarify that this tweet is fraudulent and not endorsed by Epic Games. While it is accurate that Epic Games recently downsized its workforce and plans to raise the prices of V-Bucks in late October, there is no truth to the assertion that Fortnite is ceasing operations.
The viral and financially successful battle royale game continues to thrive, providing no valid grounds for discontinuing its development.
Despite being six years old, Fortnite still boasts millions of daily players. Nevertheless, its profit margins have been impacted by the popularity of the Creative mode, as Epic Games shares 40% of its net revenue with map creators, leading to a lower margin than the Battle Royale mode.
Battle Royale has continued to generate the highest revenue. As a result, Epic Games will continue developing. Not only will it not shut down, but the recent layoffs should not significantly affect its ongoing development.
Consequently, we can anticipate the release of the next season in early November. The rumors of the game’s closure have originated from various factors, including the retirement of Donald Mustard and the recent layoffs at Epic Games.
Where Ignited This Round of Fortnite Shutdown Rumors?
Recently, Epic Games garnered attention with a significant workforce reduction. This resulted in the termination of approximately 830 employees, constituting about 16% of its workforce. The recent cost-cutting move took place at the end of September 2023.
After the news hit Fortnite fans worldwide, Epic Games issued an official statement to clarify the sudden development.
According to Epic Games, Fortnite is experiencing renewed growth, and much of this growth is attributed to user-generated content, which involves substantial revenue sharing. This model yields lower profit margins than when Fortnite Battle Royale initiated our expansion.
In essence, it appears that Fortnite’s profitability is indeed on an upswing, primarily due to contributions from content creators. However, a significant portion of the increased revenue is channeled towards these creators.
Another recent development worth noting is Donald Mustard’s retirement at Epic at the end of September 2023. He initially notified the public of his decision to retire earlier in September. In his official statement, he thanked everyone he has worked with, showing a deep sense of gratitude for his 25 years of service in the company.
With so much drama at Epic, another development hit the news. The price of V-Bucks continues to increase in several countries around the globe. The price is said to be rising by about 12-15% in the US.
Epic Games is implementing this adjustment in the pricing of V-Bucks and our real money content Pack offerings in several countries. These countries are Denmark, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Eurozone countries, Japan, Hungary, Norway, Romania, Poland, Sweden, and the United States (across all storefronts where the United States Dollar is legal tender).
However, fans need not be overly concerned, as this price increase does not appear to be a strategy to extract additional funds from players in anticipation of an imminent shutdown.
Challenges are being faced by the creators of Fortnite, but this doesn’t imply that the game is heading for closure.
More Features To Come
Over the years, Fortnite has evolved into a more enjoyable action game thanks to the numerous unique features added by Epic Games. While many players will do anything to play chapter one again due to nostalgia, the gameplay is much better than when it kicked off.
Recent leaks now show that new updates and features are coming to Fortnite. It is said that starting from the next season, players will be able to earn tiered umbrellas. This is a feature many have clamored for since the game launched, and it is finally here. There’s still more to come.
