"Fortnite: Battle Royale" has mushroomed into more than just a live-streaming game, Axios reports. It has become a near-obsession for some and has taken on hallmarks of a new social network.
The videogame is free and can be played on game consoles, laptops, desktop computers, or smartphones, the website said.
The Wall Street Journal noted the game makes money by selling to players, a number of items, including costumes called "skins" and other virtual embellishments. Prices range from $2 to $20 each. Since July 2017, when it was introduced, the game has made over $2 billion from sales of virtual goods.
The newspaper noted, in less than 18 months, the game has "grabbed onto American boyhood." Girls find the game less appealing.
Fortnite has about 200 million registered players. And the game's parent company, Epic Games, has seen its value increase to nearly $15 billion.
Axios, quoting a study from Common Sense Media, said 44 percent of teens playing the game say they have made a friend online by using it. And 39 percent say they have bonded with a sibling by playing the game.
And Axios noted the game players are using Fortnite to communicate and socialize. In fact, they are spending more time on it that other they are on any other social networks.
"Not only is Fortnite the new hangout spot, replacing the mall, Starbucks or just loitering in the city, it's become the coveted 'third place' for millions of people around the world," tech write Owen Williams wrote on his "Charged" blog
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