Does the thought cross your mind wondering what would happen when almost 100 players are dropped on an island for a killing spree? Armed with pickaxes and building skills, dropped for a killing spree; welcome to Fortnite, the ultimate battle survival showdown that took the gaming world upon its release. It does not matter if you are a seasonal player or a consistent one, Fortnite is surely the game that has something for every type of player. Definitely, the game is about the last one standing but it’s also about the experience of building sky-high fortresses, being a bush-camper waiting for the ideal moment to strike and immense adrenaline rushes one may get.
Developed by Epic Games, Fortnite, a battle royale game announced in 2011 and released in 2017 soon gained global popularity due to its ability to attract players of all ages and impact on popular culture. It is a game that has all types of players hooked on it, especially due to its cultural impact and connection with the entertainment industry as well which makes it more resonating.
Like any game, soon after its release and popularity in 2018, it also started to get involved in the competitive scene. The developer Epic Games, invested a lot in the organizing of tournaments with solid prize pools which brought on professional players like Bugha, psalm, EpikWhale and Kreo to recognition. The World Cup in 2019 was the inaugural tournament announced by Epic Games but did not continue due to COVID-19. The Fortnite World Cup did not take place after the first one but Fortnite is a game that is being competed in the gaming scene through casual play, tournaments, esports organizations and events.
The game doesn’t see success in terms of ‘most games won’ or ‘most hours played’, instead, it’s about who ‘made it’, in my opinion. Let’s talk about who I believe are the top 5 Fortnite Players since the beginning of time till date.
Bugha
Came to fame by winning the very first Fortnite World Cup in 2019 at just the age of 16. Bugha continued to be a part of the competitive events and joined an esports organization, Sentinals, in the same year he won the WC. Sentinals compete in various games including Fortnite but stopped competing in the battle royale due to which Bugha became independent. Bugha also has his own personal brand and is a prominent figure in the Fortnite world, considering the fact that he also has his own skin in the game as well. All this has been bagged by Bugha while he turned 20 this year only so it’s quite remarkable how long this kid has come and how long of a successful journey he has ahead of him. He’s even won TGA ‘Best Esports Athlete’ in 2019 and has been nominated in the Shorty Awards for ‘Best in Gaming’.
Ninja
Rose to fame through live streaming Fortnite on platforms like Twitch and Mixer (Ninja returned to Twitch after Mixer shut down in 2020), Tyler Blevins aka Ninja, broke the internet while live-streaming himself playing Fortnite with none other than Drake in 2018 which made him trending on Twitter / X and even was covered by BBC News. But that wasn’t the beginning of his career, it was Ninja himself who began to participate in Halo competitions from 2009 onwards in the professional gaming industry but left that life to pursue a streaming career. Ninja is based in Illinois and has 23.9 million subscribers on YouTube, he is one of the most followed video-game streamers on Twitch as well where viewers pay to watch him play Fortnite. Ninja has his own personal brand and his own skin on Fortnite, that’s how relevant he is in the Fortnite scene and also one of the pioneers due to which Fortnite rose to its success.
EpikWhale
An American professional player of the battle royale, Fortnite, Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton has been part of Fortnite tournaments and competitions since 2019. He was the second runner-up in the Fortnite World Cup 2019 which got him a huge prize as well. Ninja has been associated with FaZe Clan. Apart from tournaments and competitions, EpikWhale also engages with his fans via the streaming platform Twitch where the Fortnite community learn from his gameplay as well as interacts with him in real-time. At the age of 21, EpikWhale has succeeded in solidifying his status as a notable figure in the professional Fortnite scene. With the amount of potential EpikWhale has, I would expect him to come out with a personal brand as well sooner or later, especially considering his consistency with the game.
TaySon
A professional Fortnite player who emerged from Norway, TaySon, currently plays with Team Falcons and competes in Fortnite. TaySon has exceptional skills in the competitive play of the battle royale which made him part of several competitions and tournaments where he showcased his ability in aiming, building, and strategising gameplay. Like many other Fortnite professional players, TaySon also engages with his audience through the streaming platform Twitch. He has achieved a lot throughout his career with Fortnite and inspired many people who want to go a similar path.
Tfue
An American Fortnite player, online streamer and content creator best known for Fortnite, Turner “Tfue” Tenney, has been part of the gaming community from 2014 onwards. Before entering the Fortnite community, he streamed other games as well such as Call of Duty, H1Z1 and moved to Fortnite in 2016. Tfue has been known for his aggressive playstyle and spectacular performances in tournaments in which he has participated with the teams he was part of previously such as FaZe Clan, Rogue and Denial Esports. He was a consistent streamer of Fortnite on Twitch and created content on YouTube, he has been a prominent part of the Fortnite community. Although Tfue is the type of person who does not like being in the spotlight so much, but that didn’t stop him from being so as he had filed a lawsuit against FaZe Clan in 2019. FaZe Clan is one of the most prominent esports organizations; the lawsuit was later settled. Also, he has been involved in other controversies that spark debates within the gaming and esports world. In June 2023, dynamic Tfue announced his retirement on YouTube but came out of it in November 2023 announcing that he will now stream on Kick. Tfue is also a very prominent part of the Fortnite community and with his extensive following and influence, he has also ventured in other areas such as fashion, lifestyle etc. We do hope to see more of Tfue in the gaming world in the near future as he has created quite an impact overall.
