Epic Video games has celebrated the launch of Fortnite’s new The Simpsons mini-season, which it says has welcomed “the largest variety of new and returning Fortnite gamers since final vacation season.”
Public participant information tracked by Fortnite.gg exhibits {that a} peak of two.6 million gamers logged on each Saturday and Sunday, firstly to look at the dwell occasion that launched The Simpsons aliens Kang and Kodos to Fortnite’s battle royale Island, and secondly to then play on the sport’s new Springfield map when it got here on-line.
The dwell occasion noticed Fortnite’s heroes scooped up in a UFO and transported to Springfield Island, a mash-up of Fortnite and The Simpsons full of acquainted places and Easter eggs from the long-running animated collection. Fan response to the brand new season and its highly-detailed map has been constructive, and Epic Video games appears happy with participant numbers.
“In 48 hours, we welcomed the largest variety of new and returning Fortnite gamers since final vacation season,” the developer wrote in a social media publish. “The primary Fortnite | The Simpsons quick popped to #1 on Disney+ at this time within the US. Transfer over Shelbyville…”
Fortnite’s participant numbers have dipped considerably this 12 months, amid robust competitors from Roblox and a string of battle royale seasons that really feel like they have not landed with followers fairly as anticipated. In September, in the course of the sport’s alien bug season, the sport’s common each day numbers briefly sagged to round half 1,000,000 gamers, although participant counts then rallied as Fortnite started its annual Halloween celebrations.
Whereas 2.6 million gamers this previous weekend is spectacular, Fortnite has recorded a number of increased participant spikes this 12 months for different occasions. A peak of 5.7 million gamers logged in on June 7 for Dying Star Sabotage, the sport’s dwell occasion that served because the finale of its Star Wars mini-season. Fortnite additionally noticed a spike to three.9 million gamers on August 2 for its superhero season finale, and three.3 million gamers for the launch of its Daft Punk Expertise.
What stays to be seen is what number of of these new and returning gamers stick round over the remainder of this month, as Fortnite’s The Simpsons season culminates in a giant dwell occasion on November 29. That is anticipated to usher within the sport’s subsequent large period — Chapter Seven — that appears set to characteristic a crossover with Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Invoice and, probably, the return of Fortnite’s heroic Seven faction.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You possibly can attain Tom at [email protected] or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social