Although Fortnite is a fun game that's known for its accessibility, plenty of players take the multiplayer shooter incredibly seriously. Some players play the title to set records while others, such as streamers and YouTubers like Ninja and elrubius have garnered millions of fans thanks to their prowess at the game. So it comes as little surprise then that some Fortnite players are even willing to pay better-skilled players in order to get ahead in the game.
According to a new report by the BBC, some talented Fortnite players are making bank by offering to coach others at how to become better at the game. Some players are even promoting themselves as "bodyguards," offering to keep their clients safe from opponents as they coach them. The corporation spoke to one so-called Fortnite "buddy" named Aaron who charges £7 (approximately $9.32) an hour, though others offering similar services are said to charge as much as £20 (approximately $26.62) an hour.
The total figure that Aaron and other Fortnite buddies like him have made from this "micro-industry" is unclear, but few will be surprised that there is such high demand for these sorts of services. Fortnite has more than 40 million players across PC and consoles, meaning that there is huge competition in the battle to be the best or even to be a middle of the pack player. Moreover, Fortnite makes more than $200 million a month, indicating that players are more than willing to part ways with their money to improve their experience of the multiplayer game.
On top of this, there are also incentives for becoming a talented Fortnite player. Players can make a huge amount of money by being a streamer, receiving sponsorships and monetary support from viewers. There are also opportunities to become professional. While players having to pay to become better may not be ideal for the pro circuit, it's something that many will aspire to.
Developer Epic Games provides yet another incentive for players to become better at the game, with limited time modes such as the Solo Showdown. The best-performing players in that game mode won a hefty amount of V-Bucks, something which could save them plenty of money on purchasing the game's cosmetic skins. Many of the people paying for Fortnite buddies will just hope to get a Victory Royale every once in a while, but considering events like these, it's understandable why many will try even harder.
Fortnite is available now in early access for iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Source: BBC