Battle Royale gamers are more ‘tryhard’ than other genres

The Battle Royale genre has exploded over the past year with the release of two popular titles: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale.

With such popularity, we should also dig into this group of players in detail and compare them with other games. Very active Battle Royale players. They spend more time playing, watching, and streaming games than gamers in any other competitive game. In the Battle Royale genre, PUBG appeals to more serious gamers while Fortnite appeals to youth and casual players.

This data focuses on gamers aged 10-65 out of 16 countries in North America, Europe, and Latin America.

Battle Royale players are more active than their peers

There are several key differences between battle royale (BR) players and their peers, or those who play competitive games (CG). These titles include Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Overwatch, Rocket League, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, World of Tanks, Dota 2, and League of Legends.

About 50% of gamers in 16 countries play CG compared to 19% of BR players. Among them, 18% of gamers play both BR and CG.

When we compare the two groups, we see that BR players are more actively engaged, spending more time playing games on both console and PC; more than 40% of BR gamers play console games three or four times a week compared to 29% of CG gamers. In terms of console hours, more than 30% of BR players play six hours or more per week compared to 25% of CG gamers. BR players also spend more time on PC, with about 40% of them playing 6 hours or more per week compared to 32% of CG players.

Battle Royale players are more active gamers who spend more time playing games on both console and PC

BR players are also more willing to invest in the game, with 88% giving up compared to 75% of CG players. They are also more serious gamers than other competitive games: 45% vs 31%, and agree with the following statement: Games are an important part of my life and I spend most of my free time playing games. I like action games the most and want to play online and against other players.

More than 80% of Battle Royale gamers watch game streams

Esport viewing frequency differs between BR and CG gamers: 28% vs 19% watch esports multiple times a month. BR gamers also enjoyed watching casual game content, with 81% compared to 67% of CG gamers. This is best reflected by BR gamers who are subscribing to two to three game stream channels or esports channels.

It’s not surprising that the BR genre resonates with both Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Fortnite was the most watched game on both platforms in April while PUBG was the second most popular game stream on YouTube Gaming and the third on Twitch. The Battle Royale genre has great community entertainment and inherits random elements (you won’t know what happens next) to keep the game exciting. This genre has the potential to grow esports, but only a few major tournaments have taken place. With Epic Games recently announcing that it will invest $100 million in Fortnite prize pools for the next competitive season, this is sure to change.

Fortnite attracts young people and casual players, PUBG is for serious gamers

Focusing exclusively on battle royale players, we can see some overlap between the two franchises, with 40% of gamers playing both titles. The number of people who only play Fortnite is higher (35%) compared to PUBG (25%), possibly in part because Fortnite is free.

Looking at the number of gamers who only play one game, the majority of young Fortnite players account for 68% between the ages of 10 and 30 compared to 60% of PUBG gamers. Fortnite also has more students playing (19% vs 12%) while PUBG gamers are full-time employees (65% vs 50%). The geographical difference also partly explains when Fortnite is a free game, has eye-catching graphics and requires lower machine configuration. PUBG players are usually serious gamers, while the vast majority of Fortnite gamers are casual players (24% vs 17%), so Fortnite attracts more players.

When it comes to esports, a large number of PUBG players watch it multiple times per month. Interestingly enough, PUBG is not the most watched esports by PUBG gamers – it is possible that PUBG is still a new esports title when compared to games that have been around for quite a while, like League of Legends. Both Fortnite and PUBG players often watch game streams, but PUBG gamers prefer to stream themselves – 49% versus 36%. PUBG players are also more engaged with the gaming community, with nearly two-thirds participating in online gaming websites weekly compared to 55% of Fortnite players.

By: Newzoo