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Fortnite is a huge competitor for screen time, according to Netflix

Netflix is concerned that the time you spend flossin' in Fortnite keeps you from bingeing The Great British Bake Off.

Chris Jarrard

January 18, 2019 11:25 AM

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Calling Fortnite a worldwide phenomenon is old news. The online gaming juggernaut continues to captivate the minds of millions of players every day and shows no signs of slowing down. The producers of other forms of entertainment have taken notice. In a letter concomitant with their fourth quarter results, Netflix informed its investors that Fortnite is a bigger threat to its public mindshare than direct competitors like HBO or Hulu.

"We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO," Netflix said, warning that a video game was a bigger threat to its growth than other video streaming services. "There are thousands of competitors in this highly fragmented market vying to entertain consumers... Our growth is based on how good our experience is, compared to all the other screen time experiences from which consumers choose."

As Fortnite is free-to-play and available on a variety of platforms, the barrier to entry is very low. By the end of November 2018, it was reported that more than 200 million unique accounts had been created for Fortnite. Not all of those accounts are active players, but the game has a user engagement rate that is currently second to none.

Keeping its customers engaged with the service is a top priority for Netflix. Recently, the company launched the interactive movie Bandersnatch as a way to offer a unique experience. The movie, a spinoff from the popular Netflix series Black Mirror, allowed viewers to make decisions that affected how the move played out and could be a blueprint for future streaming content on the platform.

We at Shacknews are also concerned that Fortnite may keep eyes away from our wonderful content. That being said, we love video games and if you choose to leave us to go play Fortnite, we want you to be prepared. Visit our Fortnite hub for the latest news and guides for the game so you can make the most of your time spent away from us.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.