Fortnite World Cup

{{Main|Fortnite|Fortnite Battle Royale}}

The Fortnite World Cup uses two of the game modes available to the video game, Fortnite. The main World Cup event as well as the Pro-Am use Fortnite Battle Royale, a battle royale game where up to 100 players airdrop onto an island without any weapons or armor, save for a pickaxe. Once on the ground, players must scavenge for weapons, armor, and healing items, as well as using their pickaxe to knock down existing features to gather wood, stone, and metal resources. This all must be done while avoiding attacks from other players, as well as staying within a shrinking circle on the map or risk taking fatal damage outside it. Players can use gathered resources to build walls, floors, and stairs and ramps to use as cover from attacks. The last player or team left alive wins.

The Fortnite World Cup had online events over 10 weeks from April to June 2019 for people to place. The weeks alternated between solo players and duos teams. During the Saturday of each week, any player or duo could compete with others by geographic region, playing up to 10 matches to earn points through eliminations and victories. The top three thousand players/teams from each region then competed on the Sunday event, again playing up to ten matches to earn points. The top point-scorers in each region from the Sunday event then proceed through to the World Cup, a total of about twenty players/teams each week.{{Cite web|title=Fortnite {{!}} World Cup|url=https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/competitive/en-US/events/world-cup/about|access-date=2021-04-17|website=Epic Games' Fortnite|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423145613/https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/competitive/en-US/events/world-cup/about|url-status=dead}} An estimated 40 million players vied for spots in the solo and duos World Cup.{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/us/fortnite-world-cup-winner-bugha.html | title = This Fortnite World Cup Winner Is 16 and $3 Million Richer | first1 = Derrick Bryson | last1= Taylor | first2=Niraj | last2= Chokshi | date = July 29, 2019 | access-date = July 29, 2019 | work = The New York Times }} In the World Cup finals, the competitors played a total of six matches, with points earned for the highest finishers. The solo player or duo with the highest point total after six matches won the grand prize, with other players getting part of the prize pool available.{{cite web|title=2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals Official Rules|url=https://cdn2.unrealengine.com/Fortnite+Esports%2Fevents%2Fworld-cup%2Fworldcup-landing%2FRules%2FFinalsRules%2FFinal-World-Cup-Finals-Official-Rules-NYC-a35102d1048db2030831f39c1be111a409b2cbb1.pdf|access-date=2023-08-18}} All solo players received a minimum of {{USD|50,000}} for reaching the finals, with the top prize being {{USD|3 million}}. Similarly, each duo team in the final received a minimum of {{USD|100,000}} with the top team winning {{USD|3 million}}.

The Fortnite Creative Cup had a similar online process to select the players for the finals, taking place over five two-week periods from April to June 2019. Each active week, a new Creative challenge is available. Players, once completed with their Creative island, must submit a video of that challenge to Epic in that period. For each period, Epic selected three of the best entries by a panel of judges. Each selected entry earns a cash prize of {{USD|5,000}} and a guaranteed spot in the Creative Cup finals. From the fifteen winning entries, five were selected by Epic to be used in the Creative Cup finales.{{Cite web|title=Fortnite World Cup Creative Competitions Official Rules|url=https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/fortnite-world-cup-creative-competitions-official-rules|access-date=2021-04-17|website=Epic Games' Fortnite|language=en-US}} In the finales, eight teams of four, consisting of those that had their Creative island selected and other notable Fortnite players, complete in these five events to earn the best overall score. The winners in the finale split a {{USD|3 million}} prize pool.

The teams for the Fortnite Pro-Am are selected by Epic Games, with each team made up of a Fortnite streamer and a celebrity. The teams each played five matches, with a scoring system for the winning teams. The team with the highest overall score after five matches won the Pro-Am. Each team received a minimum of {{USD|20,000}} with the winning team receiving US$2 million.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Epic Games had launched Fortnite in its original planned form, now known as Fortnite: Save the World, as an early access title in July 2017, around the same time that the first influential battle royale game, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) was released. Inspired by this, Epic created a variation of Fortnite and released it as Fortnite Battle Royale in September 2017. While free-to-play, the game was supported by microtransactions. Fortnite Battle Royale rapidly became popular, and by June 2018, with the game ported to computer, consoles, and mobile devices, had reached 125 million players.{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/12/17456814/fortnite-battle-royale-epic-games-125-million-players-first-year-e3-2018 | title = Fortnite now has 125 million players just one year after launch | first = Nick | last = Statt | date = June 12, 2018 | access-date = June 12, 2018 | work = The Verge | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180613155733/https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/12/17456814/fortnite-battle-royale-epic-games-125-million-players-first-year-e3-2018 | archive-date = June 13, 2018 | df = mdy-all }} Total 2018 revenue for Fortnite Battle Royale was estimated at {{USD|2.4 billion|long=no}} by analysis firm SuperData Research.{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-01-16-fortnite-tops-2018-superdata-chart-with-usd2-4b-digital-revenue | title = Fortnite tops SuperData's 2018 chart with $2.4 billion digital revenue | first= Matthew | last =Handrahan | date = January 16, 2019 | access-date = January 16, 2019 | work = GamesIndustry.biz }} Epic designated {{USD|100 million}} of these revenues to position Fortnite Battle Royale as an esport.{{cite web | url = https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/epic-makes-fornite-biggest-esport-with-100-million-in-prize-money.html | title = Epic makes 'Fortnite' biggest esport in the world with $100 million in prize money. | first = Tae | last = Kim | date = May 21, 2018 | access-date = July 15, 2018 | website = CNBC | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180715210712/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/epic-makes-fornite-biggest-esport-with-100-million-in-prize-money.html | archive-date = July 15, 2018 | url-status = live}}

The inaugural Fortnite World Cup was first announced in February 2019.{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/22/18235132/fortnite-world-cup-final-date-prize-money-new-york-esports | title = Fortnite's $30 million World Cup final is happening in July | first = Andrew | last = Webster | date = February 22, 2019 | access-date = February 22, 2019 | work = The Verge | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190223102447/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/22/18235132/fortnite-world-cup-final-date-prize-money-new-york-esports | archive-date = February 23, 2019 | url-status = live | df = mdy-all }}{{cite web |last1=Vincent |first1=Brittany |title=The next World Cup? Fortnite. Here's everything you need to know |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/next-world-cup-fortnite-here-s-everything-you-need-know-n1028196 |website=NBC News |date=16 July 2019 |access-date=17 July 2019}} While Epic planned to run the event in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led Epic to cancel the event for the year, though will still hold other Fortnite seasonal championship events known as Fortnite Champion Series.{{Cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/30/21243190/fortnite-world-cup-2020-canceled | title = There won't be a Fortnite World Cup in 2020 | first= Andrew | last= Webster | date = April 30, 2020 | access-date = April 30, 2020 | work = The Verge }}{{Cite web|title=Fortnite Competitive|url=https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/competitive/en-US/home|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Epic Games' Fortnite|language=en-US}} The event would later also not return in 2021 also due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in subsequent years since 2022 despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic having receded.{{Cite news |date=2020-12-05 |title=No Fortnite World Cup in 2021, online tournaments are on: Epic Games |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-bytes/no-fortnite-world-cup-in-2021-online-tournaments-are-on-epic-games/articleshow/79577712.cms |access-date=2025-01-06 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Andrew |date=2020-12-04 |title=Epic promises more Fortnite tournaments in 2021 but no World Cup |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/4/22152744/epic-fortnite-world-cup-2021-canceled-fncs |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

The Fortnite World Cup was split into two different events, one for solo players, and a separate for two-player teams, or duos.

Both the solos and duos formats consisted of six matches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyesports.gg/fortnite-world-cup-2019-scoring-point-system/|title=Fortnite World Cup 2019 Scoring: Point System|date=2019-04-13|website=Daily Esports|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-26|archive-date=2019-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226011935/https://www.dailyesports.gg/fortnite-world-cup-2019-scoring-point-system/|url-status=dead}}

World Cup solo and duo final standings:{{cite web | url = https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/competitive/en-US/events/world-cup/apiStandings/final?r=3 | title = Fortnite World Cup Finals | date = July 28, 2019 | access-date = Nov 23, 2019 | work = Epic Games | archive-date = July 29, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190729012544/https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/competitive/en-US/events/world-cup/apiStandings/final?r=3 | url-status = dead }}

The 2019 solo event finals were held on July 28, 2019, and was won by 16-year-old American Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf, who took home the {{USD|3 million}} grand prize.{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-28/teen-wins-3-million-prize-in-first-fortnite-world-cup-tourney | title = Teen Wins $3 Million Prize in First Fortnite World Cup Tournament | first = Zoya

| last = Khan | date = July 28, 2019 | access-date = July 28, 2019 | work = Bloomberg L.P. }}

The scoring format in solos provided points for eliminations and for placement. Competitors received one point for each elimination and non-cumulative placement points. For solos the placement points were as follows:

• 16th-25th, 3 points
• 15th-6th, 5 points
• 5th-2nd, 7 points
• Victory Royale (1st), 10 points

The duo event finals were held on July 27, 2019, with Emil Bergquist Pedersen ("Nyhrox") and David Wang ("Aqua") sharing its {{USD|3 million}} grand prize.

The scoring format in duos provided points for eliminations and for placement. Competitors received one point for each elimination and non-cumulative placement points. For duos the placement points were as follows:

• 15th-11th, 3 points
• 10th-6th, 5 points
• 5th-2nd, 7 points
• Victory Royale (1st), 10 points

The creative cup involved 8 teams, each led by a popular Fortnite icon. The team leaders held qualifiers, in which they had those attempting to qualify participate in a challenge in creative mode. The top 3 performers on each challenge were recruited to their respective leader's team. The cup included three different creative game maps: a king of the hill map, a prop hunt map, and a death run map. Each map had one round with three matches dedicated to it, and the final round had one match on each map. In the end, the “Fish Fam” led by FaZe Clan's Cizzorz won the event.

Creative Cup final standings:

The 2019 Fortnite Pro-Am matched 50 popular Fortnite streamers with various celebrities, and was held on July 26, 2019, at The Forum In Los Angeles, CA,{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/fortnite/2019/5/15/18624901/fortnite-celebrity-pro-am-2019-teams-duos-summer-block-party|title=Here are all the players for the 2019 Fortnite celebrity Pro-Am|last=Goslin|first=Austen|date=2019-05-15|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=2020-03-05}} for a {{USD|1 million}} prize to be split between the winning pair to go to charities of their choice. Streamer Airwaks and music producer RL Grime won the event, their second win after a similar Pro-Am event at E3 2019, with their selected charities being the World Wildlife Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union, respectively. Other teams split the remaining {{USD|3 million}} prize pool for charity, with each team assured a minimum of {{USD|20,000}}.{{cite web | url = https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/27/business/fortnite-pro-am-airwak-rl-grime-ninja/index.html | title = Fortnite World Cup: Here's who won the celebrity tournament | first = Shannon | last = Liao | date = July 27, 2019 | work = CNN }}

Pro-Am final standings:

In addition to the games in the stadium, the area around the stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park was set up for a number of fan events, such as contests and games, and a concert by Marshmello.{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/the-fortnite-world-cup-was-a-kids-paradise-1836804682 | title = The Fortnite World Cup Was A Kids' Paradise | first = Riley | last = MacLeod | date = July 30, 2019 |access-date = July 30, 2019 | work = Kotaku }}

Epic reported that tickets for the 23,700-capacity stadium venue were sold out. An estimated 2.3 concurrent million viewers on Twitch and YouTube streaming services watched the World Cup finales;{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/fortnite-world-cup-finals-2019-live-viewers-championship-1203282771/ | title = Fortnite World Cup Finals 2019 Draws Over 2 Million Live Viewers | first = Todd | last = Spangler | date = July 29, 2019 | access-date = July 29, 2019 | work = Variety }} additional viewers included those watching the final events from within Fortnite, and China viewership.{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/the-fortnite-world-cup-drew-more-than-23-million-concurrent-viewers/ | title = The Fortnite World Cup drew more than 2.3 million concurrent viewers | first = Andy | last = Chalk | date = July 31, 2019 | access-date = July 31, 2019 | work = PC Gamer }}

Shortly after his win in the World Cup, Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf had been swatted while streaming from his home. However, one of the officers responding to the call had recognized Giersdorf from his win, and quickly calmed the situation down to determine that they were responding to a false call.{{cite web | url = https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/13/us/fortnite-swatting-bugha-trnd/index.html | title = Teen Fortnite World Champion Kyle 'Bugha' Giersdorf was 'swatted' during a livestream | first = Leah | last = Asmelash | date = August 13, 2019 | access-date = September 23, 2019 | publisher = CNN }}

There were not subsequent editions of the World Cup in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and since 2022 despite the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic having receded.

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Category:Recurring events established in 2018

Category:International esports competitions hosted by the United States