PUBG vs Fortnite: Which battle royale game is king?

In 2025, Fortnite and PUBG are nonetheless going robust. The free-to-play battle royale video games have turn into two of the preferred esports video games of all time, creating careers for prolific gamers and enriching Epic Video games and PUBG Studios, respectively, with enormous income due to in-game purchases.

Since their 2017 debut, they’ve advanced into manufacturers that others are working to seem in. From Energy Rangers to Lego, there appears to be no restrict to what’s doable for these video games. Nevertheless, regardless of PUBG falling second to Fortnite in participant depend, there are nonetheless just a few components the place each video games are winners.

With this in thoughts, we’re breaking down how they fare in opposition to one another and scoring them out of 10 to see whether or not Fortnite or PUBG wins out on prime.

When gameplay is taken into account with PUBG vs Fortnite, each share related gameplay traits. Each are in a third-person perspective, each have a Battle Cross, and each have gamers in a contained map with 99 different gamers.

Fortnite focuses on a comic-book aesthetic that appeals to gamers of virtually all age ranges. Nothing feels prefer it’s for youngsters or adults; the sport merely appears like an open playground to have enjoyable with family and friends. With PUBG, every little thing appears extra mature and real looking, with an army-focused theme which will alienate some.

Nevertheless, in case you play each video games proper now, you’ll see how the Fortnite collabs outline sure mechanics, in comparison with what’s absent in PUBG. Granted, there have been some crossovers earlier than, similar to Resident Evil, Tekken, Monster Hunter, and different franchises in PUBG Studios’ title, however it’s by no means appeared to stay with PUBG. These principally consisted of skins and nothing extra, whereas Fortnite leverages its collabs with fixed content material all through its seasons.

When it comes all the way down to deciding between the 2, it’ll seemingly rely upon whether or not you need a sport that focuses extra on realism and fight with PUBG, or one which leverages its collabs and completely different modes that attraction to many extra gamers with a comic-book artwork model.

PUBG rating: 6/10

Fortnite rating: 9/10

There are some vital variations between playable characters in Fortnite and PUBG. In PUBG, gamers can create their characters all the way down to the pores and skin tone and hairstyles. With the crossovers over time, starting from Resident Evil to Dragon Ball, characters from these franchises could be picked as properly, however with fewer decisions to customize them, in comparison with Fortnite.

Fortnite has its personal tackle this, referred to as outfits, however extra generally referred to as skins. While you begin the sport for the primary time, your character is a regular avatar that appears like an off-the-cuff soldier. However when you rack up ranges over numerous seasons, you accumulate these skins that rework your character into others from completely different franchises. From Dr Doom in Marvel to Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, you may as well customise them with capes and completely different results to personalise your character additional.

Nevertheless it’s these collabs and customisation choices that nudge Fortnite forward. It offers extra individuality than PUBG, and the latest Energy Rangers collab, the place groups would turn into every of the 5 superheroes, solely elevated this collab even additional.

PUBG rating: 6/10

Fortnite rating: 8/10

Sadly for PUBG, it’s a clear sweep for Fortnite within the reputation contest. Regardless of each launching in 2017, Epic Video games’ tackle the battle-royale style has gained out, principally due to its ever-changing content material and maps which have refined the gameplay mechanics nearly each time. With these being unfold out throughout new seasons each few months, it’s resulted in a constant playerbase, as of 2025, within the area of 1.5 million, in comparison with PUBG’s 700,000, with rumours that it’s a determine set to drop additional.

Nevertheless it’s necessary to say PUBG Cellular, which is accessible on Android and appropriate iPhones and iPads. In international locations like Asia and the Center East, the PUBG vs Fortnite participant depend pendulum swings to PUBG Studios’ title, with round 33 million month-to-month energetic gamers.

PUBG rating: 8/10

Fortnite rating: 9/10

For 2 video games first launched in 2017, their robust presence in esports nonetheless stands to this present day, which says lots about their longevity and attraction with gamers worldwide.

For Fortnite, developer Epic Video games instantly funds the title’s esports scene, with loads of tournaments gamers can enter with out being in a crew. There are yearly occasions just like the Fortnite World Cup, however others are hosted at completely different occasions worldwide, too. A lot of this focus is on solo and group periods, principally out there to all, so the entry degree could be very low.

PUBG has two esports scenes — the desktop area and the cell area. Each have franchised leagues and sponsored occasions just like the PUBG International Championship. As an alternative of specializing in people and completely different teams, most PUBG esports occasions focus solely on the four-player teams, which have been a staple for years. However, like Battlefield 6, there’s extra of a concentrate on tactical choices and positions, amping up the strain for gamers and viewers alike. However the scene is in the end smaller in comparison with Fortnite.

However as talked about, PUBG Cellular has an enormous presence in esports, particularly in areas like Asia and the Center East. Occasions just like the PUBG Cellular International Championship attract enormous crowds and viewership, and the subsequent one in October is about to do the identical. With Fortnite barely out there on Apple’s units worldwide, PUBG stands out within the cell esports scene, because it’s out there on iPhones and iPads globally. This implies new and current gamers don’t want a strong PC or a streaming service like GeForce Now to entry PUBG — it’s a easy obtain away. This narrows the Fortnite vs PUBG battle considerably for cell gaming.

If we had been going to match each video games on consoles and PC, Fortnite can be the clear winner. However with PUBG Cellular being very fashionable in sure international locations, in addition to being simply out there on cell units in comparison with Fortnite, Epic Video games’ title simply scrapes by way of.

PUBG rating: 7/10

Fortnite rating: 8/10

After we tally up the scores, Fortnite is the clear winner, scoring seven factors greater than PUBG’s complete of 27. When you think about the partnerships, the ever-changing gameplay, the brand new mechanics, and the standard of the trailers launched to mark a brand new season, Fortnite has PUBG’s quantity.

Nevertheless, it must be talked about that it’s not as clear when you think about its reputation and esports presence. PUBG Cellular is PUBG Studios’ trump card right here, with a number of worldwide markets simply beating Fortnite’s month-to-month viewership and participant depend. With that being stated, when including up all of the components and standards, Fortnite wins the battle right here.