Fortnite virtual concert draws record 14m players

Online video game Fortnite has announced a new virtual concert record after drawing 14.3 million concurrent players to  Remix: The Finale on Saturday (30 November).

The concert, which featured performances by Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, and a posthumous tribute to Juice WRLD, significantly surpassed the previous record of 12.3 million concurrent players for the Travis Scott concert in 2020.

It also surpassed the records set by Snoop Dogg & Ice Spice’s Times Square event earlier this year, the Big Bang event featuring Eminem concert in 2023 and the Doctor Doom fight this year.

The 15-minute Remix: The Finale showcased unique “dreamscapes” for each artist, culminating in a special moment dedicated to Juice WRLD.

The late rapper’s world premiere of Empty Out Your Pockets served as a finale, with players transforming into crystal butterfly forms during the performance.

The concert significantly surpassed the previous record of 12.3 million concurrent players for the Travis Scott concert in 2020

In addition to the 14.3 million concurrent players that joined the concert, more than three million people streamed it online according to Fortnite.

The game’s largest event of any kind was for the fictional Marvel character Galactus in 2020, which drew 15.3 million players.

Fortnite‘s virtual concerts gained enormous traction during the Covid-19 pandemic but the game has consistently drawn impressive audiences through concerts with A-list stars and partnerships with festivals such as Coachella.

The game has also continued to trial new formats, from playable concerts with acts including Karol G to the Fortnite Festival game mode headlined by the likes of The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Metallica.

Other artists that have performed in the game include Ariana Grande, Marshmello, Steve Aoki, Deadmau5, Easy Life and J. Balvin.

In November 2021, Epic Games acquired Rock Band and Guitar Hero creator Harmonix “to create musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite”.

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