Game changer: Dh110m up for grabs at first Fortnite World Cup

It is the richest tournament in the burgeoning eSports market

A general view of the Fortnite World Cup Finals during Round One in New York City. AFP

A general view of the Fortnite World Cup Finals during Round One in New York City. AFP

A general view of the Fortnite World Cup Finals during Round One in New York City. AFP

Fans dressed in costume attend day one of the Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

Fans attend day one of the Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

Fans attend day one of the Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

Fans attend day one of the Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

A father and son attend day one of the Fortnite World Cup Finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

Fortnite team Chicken Champions react after winning set two during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Fortnite team Chicken Champions are awarded the Silver Llama after winning set two during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Cizzorz, Zand and Tyler of Fortnite team Fish Fam celebrate after winning the Fortnite World Cup Creative during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Fortnite team Fish Fam celebrates after winning the Fortnite World Cup Creative during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Fortnite team Fish Fam celebrates after winning the Fortnite World Cup Creative during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon reacts to fans prior to participating in the Pro-AM during the Fortnite World Cup Finals e-sports event at Arthur Ashe Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

Two hundred gamers will battle it out for a top prize of $3 million (Dh11m) this weekend in New York at the first Fortnite World Cup, the richest tournament yet in the burgeoning eSports market.

The best players from around the globe, mostly teenage boys, are gathering in the Big Apple to determine who is top dog at the shoot-'em-up survival game, which has become an international phenomenon since launching in 2017.

Every competitor is guaranteed to leave Arthur Ashe Stadium – more used to hosting US Open tennis – with $50,000, making them the envy of the school classroom when they return home. Saturday and Sunday's finals have a total prize fund of $30 million.

Last gamer standing

"There's a lot of money to be made [compared to other games] and it's open to everyone," 15-year-old Evan Depauw from Belgium told AFP.

"Often, in games, there are really very few players who can make a lot of money and be really well known," added Depauw, who plays the video game for up to four hours a day.

Epic Games – Fortnite's creators – have spent a whopping $100 million on the inaugural event, including staging 10 weeks of qualifying culminating in this weekend's tournament.

The winner will bank almost as much as the $3.85 million that the singles champions of this year's US Open will pick up, highlighting the growth of professional gaming. They will also get a shiny trophy.

Competitors will play the "Battle Royale" format of Fortnite, where they will fight each other in different worlds until there is just one survivor left standing.

Users are dropped onto an island where they must search for weapons and other resources while eliminating other players – all while trying to stay alive. There is two divisions – solo and duo.

Fortnite, which is free to play, has 250 million users worldwide and thousands of keen gamers are expected to pack into the stands to watch the participants tap away frantically on their controllers and keyboards.

The showpiece is an attempt by Fortnite to grab a greater share of the global gaming market, which is expected to be a $300 billion industry by 2025, according to a recent report by analytics firm GlobalData.

Market growth

"These high-value tournaments are trying to drive engagement and interest in the game," said Michael Pachter, a gaming and media analyst at Wedbush Securities.

"They'll return a big chunk of their profit to gamers and keep people watching and caring about the outcome," he told AFP.

Fortnite generated revenues up to $300 million in some months of last year, dropping off to around $200 million a month currently, according to Pachter.

"There's half a billion people playing mobile games and another billion that play PC or console games that haven't tried Fortnite yet," he said. "So there's plenty of room for them to replace the players that quit and keep their revenue at a steady level," Pachter added.

Fortnite has been instrumental in transforming the video gaming industry as users move from consoles and desktops to playing on smartphones.

The game has also pioneered the "freemium" model, meaning it costs nothing to play – but users can purchase cosmetic upgrades that don't improve their ability to defeat opponents. Gamers enjoy that egalitarian aspect.

"It has become the dominant economic model," said Jeremy Jackson, an analyst at gaming research firm Newzoo.

Finals are 'wide open'

The finals are set to be wide open after Fortnite superstar Ninja, who has 22 million followers on YouTube, failed to qualify.

American Turner Tenney, known as "Tfue", is seen as one of the favourites to lift the solo trophy on Sunday.

Austrians Klaus Konstanzer, aka "Stompy", and Thomas Horak, nicknamed "Tschinken", are tipped to go far in the duo competition on Saturday.

Whether Depauw, the 15-year-old from Belgium who is also known as "DRG", picks up a check or not, he has no plans to ditch school for a life as a professional gamer.

"If I do not have the level [of ability] anymore or I just get tired of it, at least I'll have my studies," he told AFP.

Controversial studies

Fortnite's popularity is undeniable, however this has caused public figures to speak out about the irresponsibility of its creation, warning of its propensity to destroy families.

Countries such as Iraq have considered banning the game, amid fears the violence portrayed in their storylines cause a threat to the country's stability, and Britain's Prince Harry spoke out about the addictive nature of games and the damage they can do to one's mental health. 

"[Fortnite] shouldn't even be allowed," the British royal said at an event at London's YMCA. "What is the benefit of having that game in your household, no matter what age you are? It's created as an addiction to keep you in front of a computer as long as possible."

With additional reporting from Katy Gillett