How gamers are making money from Fortnite

Fortnite has taken the gaming world by storm in just a few short years. It is now one of the biggest phenomena of our time, seeing anywhere from 2.9 to 4 million concurrent players at any one time. Millions of people play the game just for fun—but plenty of others have also made it work for them, too, and have started making money on it. 

So, just how are gamers making money from Fortnite? Today, we’re going to look at a few of the main ways, and how you might too. Let’s get started. 

1. Streaming

Undoubtedly, one of the most common ways that gamers make money by playing Fortnite is through streaming. On Twitch, the biggest streaming platform, around 2,700 channels regularly stream the game, often exclusively. At its peak, this was around 132,000 channels. 

With things like the Partner program and tipping, streamers can play Fortnite for an audience of well-wishers, who can donate money in the form of Twitch’s Bits as well as subscriptions. 

If you can get an audience, streaming can be great money. Don’t think you even need to be exceptionally good at the game in order to be able to get an audience for streaming. If you can bring an entertaining and energetic personality to the streams, people will watch you regardless of your skill level! 

2. Betting 

If you’re not so much into streaming it yourself, or even playing it, another way that you and many others can make money from Fortnite is by betting on the big tournaments. As you can imagine, Fortnite esports is a big market, and so naturally many bookmakers have begun to offer markets on Fortnite tournaments. 

It is going to require a good deal more homework as well as trial and error than some other methods. You’re never guaranteed a win this way. But trends in esports work in just the same way as trends in ordinary sports. 

If you can get familiar a particular league, and shore up your knowledge by watching a few tournaments, you can make informed decisions about who might win a given tournament. Placing winning bets can become a solid strategy for making money. 

Always remember to bet responsibly, and never bet more than you can afford to lose. 

3. YouTube 

Of course, one of the other most common ways to make money through video games in general, and Fortnite especially, is on YouTube. Again, if you can secure an audience, gamers can upload videos to YouTube of Fortnite clips from games, or even just tips for players. With a large enough viewership, your videos can be monetised via ad revenue. 

One of the biggest Fortnite Youtubers, Lachlan, currently enjoys the support of 14.8 million subscribers. And that only continues to grow. YouTube monetisation can be one of the most lucrative ways to profit from playing Fortnite, and though you might think it has a tough barrier to entry, it is easier to become monetised on YouTube than you might think. Doubtless, though, there is tough competition, so be prepared for a long journey. 

4. Tournaments 

Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from trying your hand at the competitive play yourself. Tournaments in Fortnite are still very common, and so even the smaller ones with lower barriers to entry can be very lucrative ways to earn money. Cumulatively, Fortnite prizes in tournaments for 2021 alone totalled almost $20 million. 

Of course, you’ll have to shore up your skills, as the competition is fierce. But if you think you’ve got what it takes, there are huge amounts of money to be won in Fortnite tournaments. 

5. Patreon 

Another great tool for the Fortnite player looking to earn money from the game is Patreon. This service allows fans to sign up to pay a monthly subscription to you, in various amounts, for whatever you happen to be doing. What’s great about Patreon is that there’s no threshold to entry. If one person or a thousand people want to support you, you can use Patreon. 

You might get a modest audience elsewhere, such as on YouTube or Twitch. Without enough steady viewers for monetisation there, but with a dedicated, if small, fan base, you can alert your fans you are starting a Patreon for those who want to support you. 

You can build on this success and ultimately your Patreon funds might eventually go hand in hand with monetisation on another platform. 

6. Affiliate Commissions 

So, there are plenty of ways that gamers are making Fortnite work for them, even turning it into a full-time living. Whether you are looking to quit your day job or are just curious where the money comes from for professional Fortnite players, as you can see, the answer is it comes from many places!