It’s almost impossible to avoid the word “Fortnite” in a conversation these days. Be it at the supermarket where the kids behind you are playing the game on their phones, or on social media where distant cousins are bragging about grabbing their first solo win on social media. Fortnite has become the biggest game in the United States almost overnight, and momentum isn’t slowing anytime soon, developer Epic Games has invested $100,000,000 into an upcoming competitive circuit.
Before the Fortnite esports scene kicks off in full, here are some of the players you need to know for the next time a cashier asks you who your favorite Fortnite player is.
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins
Twitch followers: 9,096,257
Twitter followers: 2,710,491
YouTube subscribers: 14,713,016
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins continues to be the face of Fortnite, with no signs of his popularity decreasing. It’s unknown what role he’ll take as Fortnite becomes a full-fledged esport. Christian Petersen/Getty Images
No name is bigger in video games right now than Ninja. The 27-year-old former Halo pro has become the face of Fortnite over the last year, and he has blossomed into the biggest streamer in Twitch history. After duoing with Drake four months ago, Ninja’s daily stream numbers have become comparable to some television shows, as he can draw upward of 250,000 viewers at one time whether he’s participating in a tournament or streaming on his own.
While Ninja might not be the most technically gifted player in the world, his dedication to the craft is undeniable. At 3,279 wins, he sits atop of the leaderboards of all PC players in the world and will consistently stream twice a day for his ever-growing audience. Beyond his work ethic and elite skill, Ninja has become a family-friendly streamer, usually dedicating his earlier-in-the-day streams to his younger audience, doing his best not to use foul language.
In terms of results, Ninja has been on a hot streak lately, winning the Fortnite Pro-Am in Los Angeles a few weeks ago alongside his equally famous partner Marshmello and finally taking home his first Friday Fortnite title, UMG Gaming’s weekly online Fortnite competition, with fellow former Halo pro Jacob “Hysteria” Reiser of Cloud9.
If a conversation about Fortnite comes up, Ninja’s name will surely follow.
Ali “Myth” Kabbani
Twitch followers: 3,358
Twitter followers: 995,390
YouTube subscribers: 3,067,544
Ali “Myth” Kabbani, right, walks into the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles with NBA All-Star Paul George for the Fortnite Invitational last month at the E3 video game conference.
The captain of Team SoloMid’s Fortnite squad, Myth might be the second-most popular Fortnite player in the world after Ninja. Along with his TSM teammate Darryle “Hamlinz” Hamlin, Myth has been one of the most consistent players throughout the Friday Fortnite series, placing in the top four on four separate occasions and winning once.
As long as Myth doesn’t die due to fall damage, his future in the world of Fortnite should be bright.
Turner “Tfue” Tenney
Twitch followers: 1,128,858
Twitter followers: 198,339
YouTube subscribers: 1,824,733
If Ninja is the golden boy of Fortnite, then Tfue is the game’s anti-hero. The FaZe player is one of the biggest names in Fortnite today and, besides Ninja, might be the fastest growing personality in the scene on YouTube. On the field of battle, Tfue is one of the most accomplished players in the world, having won three Friday Fortnite events, coming in second once, and also placing fourth twice with FaZe teammate Dennis “Cloak” Lepore.
With his flashy style, it’s easy to see why Tfue’s stock has risen over the past few months. On the negative side, though, he did recently have his main account banned for violating the developer’s EULA for account purchasing. Trash talking, big plays, and account bans, Tfue is a player everyone from fans to Epic Games itself will have their eyes on as the official pro scene begins.