Fortnite was most popular U.S. title in 2019 according to Google Trends

2019 was the year of Fortnite. Despite its revenue dropping, it still made a ton of money, earning a total of $1.8 billion. The popular battle royale game was the most popular game in the United States with over 250 million players globally. Across 20 different states according to Google Trends, it was the game most searched for in 2019. In all honesty, it’s no surprise that Fortnite took over last year. It released a whole new “chapter” and a slew of new content to keep itself fresh and engaging. It is also worth mentioning Fortnite teamed up with John Wick, Star Wars, Marshmello, and Marvel to bring us some amazing in-game events.

Some other reasons in a press release on why Fortnite is keeping itself on top include its price point. Yes, you have to shell out money for all the cosmetics, weapons, gliders, etc., but it’s otherwise free for battle royale. It makes it an affordable title for U.S. gamers, half of whom reportedly live off less than $30,000 per year. So if Fortnite was number one last year, what fell behind it? Well, it’s another popular title: Call of Duty. Also mentioned were Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rocket League. And while there have been many negative things in the media about gaming addiction, one of the positives of playing these games is the social aspect:

According to Pew Research, 43% of US adults say they play video games. And the Entertainment Software Association reports that 75% of Americans have at least one gamer in the household. It’s safe to say that video games are no longer just a nerdy thing. … And those gamers aren’t just your typical, basement-dwelling trolls either. Scientific studies show that children who play a lot of video games may have better social skills (and fewer peer problems) than their non-gaming peers.

So what game will dominate 2020? It’s anyone’s guess now as we enter a new decade of gaming. One thing is for certain. Epic Games’ masterpiece isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

---