The Fortnite World Cup was a home run for Epic Games. Not only did it reach 1.3 million Twitch viewers, almost breaking the peak record, but it also gave young gamers hope that their dreams of a career in gaming could come true, no doubt further fuelling their interest in the game. The average age of the finalists was just 16, and a large number of them were completely new to the eSports arena, thanks to the open qualifiers.
Anyone Can Win
The Fortnite World Cup offered all players a chance to win big, just for playing the game. All they had to do was compete in the new Arena mode, with the best players earning a place in the online opens. The winners of these were then sent to the World Cup, which took place in New York last weekend.
Prizes were also on offer at all levels, with players who performed the best in the online opens receiving a slice of a $1 million weekly prize pool, over a 10 week period. There was also a $50,000 minimum prize for the 100 solo players and 50 duos who made it to the final.
This meant that absolutely anyone who is age 13, the minimum age required to legally have an Epic Games account, or above could enter the tournament and stand a chance of winning. However, anyone between age 13 and 17 would require parental permission to compete.
Beating The Pros
While the open qualifiers seemed like a fair approach, some Fortnite pros were less than happy. This seemed to mainly center around the fact that some pros were being matched against other pros, while others were matched against much easier opponents.
There was also the ever present issue of stream sniping, something which Ninja fans feel may have been responsible for his failure to qualify. However Ninja himself, who instead appeared as a guest at the event, said on Twitter that he “didn’t put the full time or effort in” before he promised to be there next year.
The fact that such a high profile player as Ninja, alongside other pros including Tfue, failed to qualify was not such bad news for young Fortnite fans. Imagine how all those who did qualify felt to gain a seat at the tournament which some of the pros didn’t make? That’s surely got to have you feeling on top of the world?
The Impact On Fans
The Fortnite World Cup was a truly amazing event in itself. Epic Games put on an event which wowed attendees and those who tuned in on Twitch. They turned the Arthur Ashe Stadium into a Fortnite wonderland, with a miniature amusement park, a Marshmello concert and a truly immersive viewing experience.
There were also mascots, pro players, and plenty of flossing and dabbing. An account of the event, published by The Verge, paints an image of a truly epic experience, tailored perfectly to the games target audience. Fans even got chance to engage in Battle Pass tasks, visiting different attractions in order to earn a physical V-Bucks coin.
Qualifying for the event must have felt like a dream come true for players. While there were some eSports veterans among the line up, including winner Bugha, who plays for The Sentinels, many were simply teenagers who play the game in their spare time. Others have only recently entered the pro leagues, thanks to Fortnite and its open qualifiers which began last year.
Winning Over Parents
Fortnite’s demographic is heavily skewed towards younger players. Over half of all players are under 25, with many being teenagers. This means that Epic not only has to win over the kids themselves, but also their parents, who are funding their V-Bucks habit.
An event such as the world cup can also have a huge impact on parents. Seeing a large crowd of teenagers, just like their own, on an international stage competing for cash prizes is bound to have an effect. While many players will never even come close to pro level, for some this stage gives their career choices some legitimacy.
One such example is Wolfiez, the 15 year old who came in second in duos using a controller. He had apparently been squabbling with his mother over his failing grades. Now that he’s the winner of over $1 million in prize money, she’s accepted his "career choice as a professional eSports player."
While it’s great to see parents more open to supporting their children in an Esports career, it doesn’t mean you should encourage them to quit school. eSports is a growing market, but it’s still an incredibly difficult one to break into, just as the content creation market is.
Gaming Careers
There are more opportunities than ever before to make a career in gaming but both teenagers, parents, and any aspiring adults need to ensure they are aware of the risks as well as the rewards. Events like the Fortnite World Cup are amazing opportunities which can give anyone a chance to do amazing things. However, they are isolated events and competition to qualify is fierce.
While the hype surrounding the event is fantastic news for Epic Games, who will likely draw more players into their game, fans need to make sure they look beyond the glitzy facade when making choices about their future. Stay smart, stay in school and your future will be a lot brighter, however far you go in Esports.