Bottom line: Fortnite Battle Royale entered a new market this week and the influx of new players is being immediately felt. Expect Epic's numbers to only increase as word of the game spreads in South Korea and additional systems come online over the holidays.
Fortnite, the massively popular shooter from Epic Games, recently reached a record 8.3 million concurrent players worldwide following the launch of battle royale mode in South Korea.
The colossal figure was supplied by Epic Games Korea CEO Sung Chul Park during an interview with Inven. VG247 verified the number with a spokesperson from Epic. Twice.
By comparison, Fortnite hit a peak of 3.4 million concurrent players in February which caused server woes for Epic. In August, the company said it had its biggest month ever with 78.3 million gamers logging on to play across all platforms.
Steam, Valve's digital distribution platform, attracts around 14 million users on average during peak play times.
What Epic Games has managed to accomplish with Fortnite is nothing short of incredible. They've built an entire culture around the game, offering it for free and making boatloads of cash through optional in-game cosmetic purchases. Creative updates that arrive on a predictable and frequent schedule keep the game fresh and fun and with a new wave of funding, the sky's the limit for Fortnite and Epic.