Set in a post-apocalyptic world of builders, the battle royale-style video game Fortnite is all about survival. The game has grown into a cultural phenomenon in the last year. What makes Fornite so influential? Author Jordan Shapiro, Dexerto Network producer Troy Tuttle and Alamo City eLeagues founder Chris Saenz speak to "The Source."
With a player base of at least 200 million people worldwide, the video game Fortnite is showing no signs of slowing down. An estimated 8.3 million players are regularly online at the same time, almost double the number of registered users since February.
Fortnite is available on a variety of video game platforms, from consoles like Xbox One and Playstation 4 to personal computers and mobile phones. Users can take part in live matches as individuals or play in squads, learning to survive by gathering resources, shooting zombies and thinking creatively to build or destroy structures.
Although the game is free to play, Fortnite has shown massive earning potential since its release in 2017.
Developer Epic Games raised $1.25 billion in its latest round of financing. For players, recording and streaming matches can earn talented gamers thousands of dollars online. Plus, the practice of skills-based betting on game outcomes is cropping up into the mainstream.
How is Fortnite changing the future of esports and the gaming industry? What are the drawbacks to having a popular game capture the attention of millions, especially kids?
With the season 7 iteration just days away, how can we expect to see the game evolve?
Guests:
- Jordan Shapiro, author of "The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World"
- Chris Saenz, founder & CEO of Alamo City eLeagues and assistant manager at PLAYlive Nation in San Antonio
- Troy Tuttle, content producer for the Dexerto Network and primary host of The Fortnite Podcast
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 210-614-8980, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet at @TPRSource.
This interview aired on Thursday, Nov. 29.
