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Sensor Tower
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Fortnite earned $3.7 million during its initial seven-day period on the App Store. PUBG Mobile generated approximately $700,000 in its first week of in-app purchases on iOS.
Revenue Disparity. Fortnite's initial iOS revenue was significantly higher than PUBG Mobile's.
This analysis compares the initial monetization performance of the mobile versions of two prominent battle royale titles, Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, during their respective launch windows on iOS. Utilizing Store Intelligence data, the assessment highlights a significant disparity in revenue generation between the two games outside of China, despite differences in their player acquisition strategies and timing.
During its first week of offering in-app purchases, PUBG Mobile generated approximately $700,000 in revenue on iOS, with a total of $1 million across all platforms outside of China. In contrast, Fortnite earned an estimated $3.7 million during its own initial seven-day period on the App Store. This performance is particularly notable given that PUBG Mobile had accumulated 22 million iOS installs prior to monetization, whereas Fortnite had secured only 3.7 million downloads during its first week, much of which occurred under an invite-only launch model.
The divergence in revenue is attributed to distinct monetization structures and cross-platform ecosystem advantages. Fortnite benefits from a larger existing footprint on PC and console, where purchases carry over to the mobile version. Furthermore, the two games employ different sales tactics: Fortnite utilizes a direct-purchase model for limited-time cosmetic items and a seasonal Battle Pass, while PUBG Mobile relies primarily on randomized loot boxes. The United States serves as the primary revenue driver for PUBG Mobile, accounting for 48 percent of its earnings, followed by Thailand, Great Britain, Canada, and Russia. These findings suggest that while both titles are major competitors, their differing approaches to in-game economies significantly influence early-stage mobile profitability.
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Sensor Tower · 2026
