Epic Games has reiterated Fortnite's status as a dominant force in gaming, while acknowledging a noticeable decline in player playtime during 2025.

In a year‑in‑review summary that also highlighted the Epic Games Store's ongoing role as a rival to Valve's Steam and referenced the company's long‑running legal battle with Apple, Epic described Fortnite as "still the biggest game in the world on many fronts." The company, however, conceded that total playtime slipped in 2025 compared with previous years.

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The figures formed part of a broader set of metrics and talking points released by Epic, intended to showcase the company's platforms and ecosystem across publishing, store operations and live services. Fortnite's cultural footprint, frequent live events and revenue performance were emphasised alongside recognition that engagement trends can ebb and flow.

Analysts and industry observers are likely to view the playtime decline as a reminder that even the largest live‑service titles must continually refresh content and retain community interest to sustain long‑term engagement. Epic's year‑in‑review materials stressed continued investment in updates, collaborations and platform features designed to keep players active and support creator communities across its services.

Fortnite's position remains stronger than most competitors across multiple dimensions, according to Epic, with the company positioning the title as central to its broader ambitions in games and digital services even as it addresses the challenges signalled by lower aggregate playtime in 2025.

The report serves as a snapshot of Epic's priorities heading into the next year: maintaining Fortnite's reach, growing the Epic Games Store, and navigating the strategic and legal pressures that accompany its platform ambitions.