Major layoffs at Epic Games are the latest sign that the once-unassailable Fortnite is in decline – with major implications for the industry

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Epic Games' major layoffs signal that Fortnite, once seen as the ultimate 'forever game,' is in decline after player hours dropped nearly 30% in 2025. The piece argues that the games industry spent a decade chasing Fortnite's model of a permanent, all-encompassing live-service platform, warping creative decision-making and leading to rushed cancellations of games that failed to match its dominance. The author contends that no game can truly be 'forever' — culture shifts, audiences age, and spectacle cannot freeze player loyalty indefinitely. Fortnite's decline is framed as a potential inflection point: an opportunity for the industry to return to building diverse portfolios of hits rather than chasing a single dominant platform, though the author fears the obsession may simply transfer to the next candidate like Roblox.

It turns out Fortnite isn't the forever game after all | Opinion