Epic, maker of Fortnite, raises $ 1.25 billion



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Fortnite has become one of the greatest gaming sensations in the world. Now, its manufacturer, Epic Games, benefits.

On Friday, Epic announced it raised $ 1.25 billion from a group including investment companies such as KKR, as well as aXiomatic, owner of the Team Liquid eSports company.

Behind the investment is hiding the hope that Fortnite will remain a global phenomenon. Since its release last year, teenagers and celebrities like Drake have hailed the game. He has starred prominent electronic sports players such as Tyler Blevins, known as the Ninja. And the dances of his characters have been co-opted by professional athletes on the baseball and World Cup fields.

Fortnite is proposing an online royal battle in which hundreds of players are fighting for their survival. The game is free, but players pay to improve the outfits or dances of their characters. Analysts have estimated that Fortnite has generated sales of hundreds of millions of dollars for Epic, including nearly $ 300 million in gaming revenue in April alone.

The company's latest press round dates back to 2012, when the Chinese internet giant Tencent bought 40% of the capital worth about 825 million dollars. But that was before Fortnite.

It is unclear to what assessment the last round was launched. Other investors included Iconiq Capital, Kleiner Perkins and Lightspeed Venture Partners. A spokeswoman for Epic declined to comment.

Investment involves risks. The greatest number of them is the time during which Fortnite will remain a phenomenon. His popularity on the Twitch video game streaming service seems to have peaks in July to 151 million hours of streaming, according to research firm SteamElements.

In a statement, Epic founder and CEO Tim Sweeney hinted that his company's call went beyond Fortnite. "This reinforces Epic's leading position in real-time 3D technology and accelerates our ability to improve the way people play, work and interact with the world," he said.

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