If Fortnite can, why can’t we?

2023 will mark the fifth anniversary of the release of Fortnite, not just an era-defining battle royale game, but a global cultural phenomenon which shows few signs of abating.

At any given moment, there are between three to four million people worldwide playing Fortnite. What’s most impressive is that it continues to significantly outperform newer titles like Overwatch 2 (around 750,000 concurrent players) and Call of Duty: Warzone (around 300,000 concurrent players).

The sustained success of the Epic Games title is, in no small part, down to a continuous stream of updates that keeps the game fresh and players coming back for more. As well as new game modes, weapons and maps, Fortnite has regularly partnered with other IP, including Avengers and Star Wars, to extend its reach. Many new releases have found success following the Fortnite formula.

Those of us working in the online casino world should be paying close attention.

While there’s lots of talk in this sector aboutthe importance of creating genuine player engagement and loyalty, we’re not always delivering an experience that’s conducive to that.

Just look at how content is usually treated. A game is built, released, perhaps given a marketing push, and then generally left to slip down the casino homepage only for the cycle to be repeated.

There are a handful of exceptions, such as when a popular game enters players’ consciousness and becomes an instant classic. But casino games are too often treated as disposable commodities, waiting to be replaced. With thousands of new titles released each year, the idea of building genuine connections between players and games is little more than an afterthought.

This is a missed opportunity. Most operators view player loyalty through the lens of their casino brand. The casino itself can build an attachment to the player via appealing branding, smart communication and a seamless UI. But what is often forgotten is that the player experience – the thing which actually persuades someone to come back – is predominantly driven by the games themselves.

I’d argue that when a player is aimlessly scrolling a casino lobby for a new title to check out, instead of seeking out a particular game they are excited to play, we’ve already failed them. It’s similar to how an uninspired viewer might waste an hour flicking through Netflix rather than actually watching something. The experience is ultimately unsatisfying.

So, how do we change attitudes? I’d argue the focus should be on bringing a handful of high-quality games to players, rather than thousands of duds, and then supporting those games to foster a brand and a community around them.

But to make the games the star, we need to think differently, not just about how we build them, but how we maintain them. On a basic level, this could take many forms, including new bonus features, mechanics, updated graphics and even additional narrative elements. New releases should come with a roadmap of upcoming additions, so online casinos can prepare accompanying marketing.

Our crash game, Aviatrix, allows players to compete with their own aircrafts – which are also NFTs – that can be updated and customised over time. These planes are available to the user regardless of which casino brand they choose to play on, giving them complete flexibility.

Elsewhere, there are success stories with game or supplier specific tournaments and leaderboards, but there are opportunities for a far deeper level of engagement built around the idea that a game is not a finished product, but an ever-evolving experience that’s always providing players with a new reason to return.

If online casinos are to compete for the eyeballs, wallets and the next generation of gamers – those raised on blockbusters like Fortnite – we’re going to have to offer more. Taking better care of the games we’ve already built is a good place to start.

Vladislav Artemyev is CEO and co-founder of Aviatrix, Scorum and ZingBrain.ai, where he leverages blockchain, AI and other cutting-edge technology to help operators grow their businesses.