According to IGN, Epic Games is celebrating Fortnite’s biggest player surge since last holiday season thanks to the launch of its The Simpsons mini-season. The crossover event saw a peak of 2.6 million concurrent players logging in on both Saturday and Sunday to watch the live event introducing Kang and Kodos aliens and then play on the new Springfield map. Epic confirmed this was “the biggest number of new and returning Fortnite players since last holiday season” in just 48 hours. The first Fortnite | The Simpsons short even hit #1 on Disney+ in the US. The live event transported Fortnite heroes via UFO to Springfield Island, a detailed mash-up filled with Easter eggs from the long-running animated series.
Sponsored content — provided for informational and promotional purposes.
Putting those numbers in context
Now, 2.6 million players sounds impressive – and it is, especially compared to September’s alien bug season when daily numbers briefly sagged to around half a million. But here’s the thing: this isn’t actually Fortnite‘s biggest spike this year. Not even close. Back on June 7, the Death Star Sabotage event pulled in 5.7 million players. August’s superhero season finale hit 3.9 million. Even the Daft Punk Experience managed 3.3 million. So while The Simpsons brought people back, it didn’t break any records. Basically, it’s a solid rebound from a rough patch, but not the massive comeback story some might assume.
The real test is coming
So what happens next? The big question isn’t how many players showed up for the shiny new thing – it’s how many stick around. Fortnite’s player counts have been notoriously volatile this year amid competition from Roblox and seasons that haven’t quite landed with fans. Epic’s social media celebration feels a bit like putting a positive spin on what’s actually a moderate success compared to their bigger wins. I mean, when your last few seasons haven’t hit the mark, even a decent bounce looks like a victory, right?
What’s coming in Chapter Seven
The Simpsons season culminates in a big live event on November 29 that’s expected to usher in Chapter Seven. Rumor has it we’re getting a Kill Bill crossover and potentially the return of Fortnite’s heroic Seven faction. That’s the pattern Epic has mastered – always having the next big thing ready before the current excitement fades. But can they maintain this momentum? As industry watchers have noted, Fortnite’s challenge isn’t getting players to check out new content – it’s keeping them engaged between the spectacle events. The Simpsons brought people back to the party, but the real test is whether they’ll stay for the afterparty.
