Fortnite continues to bask in the limelight.

Despite being a free-to-play game, the popular title generated the most annual revenue of any game in history. In 2018 alone, it brought in a whopping $2.4 billion, according to estimates from Nielsen’s SuperData.

According to Nielsen, the title’s success was propelled by the game’s multi-platform release on PC, console, and mobile, as well Epic Games’ effort to provide new game updates, modes, weapons, and environments. Battle pass, a limited-time, in-game purchase that rewards players as they complete challenges, also contributed.

“Games like Dota 2 have sold battle passes in the past, but Fortnite made them a core part of its monetization strategy, with 34% of U.S. Fortnite players buying them regularly,” SuperData noted in its game industry report.

Free-to-play games are undoubtedly on the rise. In 2018, they accounted for 80 percent of all digital game revenue, which reached $87.7 billion this past year. A demand for “premium” games still strongly exists in both North America and Europe, but publishers are moving away from physical discs in favor of digital downloads.

Here’s a look at the top 10 free-to-play titles, based on overall game revenue:

h/t Deadline

Photo: Epic Games

About the author

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham is the Art Director at the Toy Insider, the Toy Book, and the Pop Insider. He creates all graphic content for the Toy Insider, the Pop Insider, and the Toy Book social channels, including promos and stagnant graphics, as well as all signage, programming, and media graphics for various networking events. Joe shoots, edits, and manages all YouTube content for the Toy Insider and Pop Insider brand, including Play by Play videos, event videos, and other promotional videos. When he's not in the office, you can find Joe in the gym or hanging with his friends and family. He loves music, basketball, and art in a variety of forms. He STILL wonders why Drake and Josh is not available on Netflix.

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