win.gg
Win.gg Fortnite Fortnite voted Esports Game of the Year at Golden Joystick Awards

Fortnite voted Esports Game of the Year at Golden Joystick Awards

Olivia Richman
Olivia Richman Published 15/11/2019
Google Preferred Source

Fortnite was named Esports Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards today. 

Hosted at the Bloomsbury Big Top in London, the Golden Joystick chooses its winners by popular vote. Millions of people participated in the online voting over the last 12 months, making their picks from Best Storytelling and Best Multiplayer Game to Best Esports Game and Best New Streamer. 

Fortnite is the Esports Game of the Year

The nominees for Esports Game of the Year included Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, FIFA 19, Fortnite, League of Legends, Overwatch, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Rainbow Six Siege.

The live YouTube coverage sparked a debate in the live comment section, with many people arguing between League of Legends and Overwatch, the latter of which had won the award the past two years. 

When Fortnite was announced as the winner, many in the comment section were quite displeased. The screen was bombarded with messages like “NOOO” and “ew.” But the winners were all chosen by popular vote, so many gamers viewing from home were probably excited with the results as well. 

Epic’s director of European marketing, Sean Denny, took to the stage. 

“Thank you so much for everybody who voted for Fortnite and played it competitively. Playing the game online aginst other people is competitive. Even though I’m a horrible Fortnite player, I can play competitive. Everyone gets to enjoy it,” Denny said. 

Fortnite’s esports focus in 2019

While Season X and the B.R.U.T.E. may have caused quite a negative response from Fortnite players, the battle royal still had a major impact on the esports industry this year. The Fortnite World Cup’s $30 million prize pool had shaken up the scene when it was first announced. 16-year-old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf was also a hit with mainstream media for snagging $3 million of that for himself when he won the Solo Finals. 

Across YouTube and Twitch, 2.3 million viewers tuned in to the Solos competition at the World Cup Finals, making it the most-watched esports event of all time until the 2019 League of Legends World Championship Finals surpassed it later in the year. 

The World Cup was Epic’s first major esports tournament for the popular game, but it wasn’t their only contribution to esports in 2019. The developers stated that they’d be committing $100 million to the competitive esports scene throughout this year, including Cash Cups and the Fortnite Champion Series. 

Olivia Richman Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile
Read Also
Fortnite is finally giving Sidekicks a purpose with a new game mode Fortnite
Fortnite is finally giving Sidekicks a purpose with a new game mode Zachary Roberts Sidekicks have been one of the most fun, if largely meaningless, additions to Fortnite. Officially launching in November 2025, this update gave gamers a chance to have a little partner in their Battle Royale. They don't do anything, but some players quite enjoy having SpongeBob, Groot, Bonesy, Pink Pony, Ace the Bat-Hound, and others by their side. Finally, though, there is going to be a reason to have sidekicks. Epic ...
Fortnite x Obsession collab could be in the works as teaser drops Fortnite
Fortnite x Obsession collab could be in the works as teaser drops Zachary Roberts Nowadays, anything popular ends up getting a Fortnite crossover. Even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. There's an American Dad crossover, a Game of Thrones collaboration, and so much more that at one point would've been totally shocking to a gamer. That includes popular movies. Even before it truly hit theaters and took off, there were skins for The Odyssey in the Item Shop. Similarly, another 2026 smash ...
Fortnite adds over 30 AI voices to skins for Creative mode Fortnite
Fortnite adds over 30 AI voices to skins for Creative mode Zachary Roberts Fortnite has come under fire recently for its usage of AI, with one collaboration immediately reexamining the partnership after that revelation. Generative AI usage in games is generally frowned upon by gamers, although game developers are more commonly using it now. That, of course, includes Epic Games, which has just sort of doubled down on the AI usage in Fortnite. However, instead of the normal gen AI, Epic has assigned ...
Fortnite Hot Bat Summer: Release time, skins, and more Fortnite
Fortnite Hot Bat Summer: Release time, skins, and more Zachary Roberts The Fortnite Hot Bat Summer is upon us. Every year, there is an update for the summer that brings in beach settings, swimsuit-wearing characters, and more. This year, it's got a DC tilt, with some of the most iconic superheroes and villains taking a load off to cool down in the heat. Here's what you need to know about it. First and foremost, you need to know what characters are ...
Fortnite collaboration in danger after generative AI revelation Fortnite
Fortnite collaboration in danger after generative AI revelation Zachary Roberts Fortnite has crossovers with so many different things. If Epic Games wants something in the game, it usually happens. Whether it's Darth Vader, Spider-Man, Batman, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Sabrina Carpenter, or Khaby Lame, anything the developers want usually ends up in the game. It's rare for a collaboration to end up cancelled, but there's real danger of that happening right now. Vampire Survivors was supposed to have a collaboration ...
How to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Fortnite
How to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Zachary Roberts Wondering how to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite? You're not alone. The streamer is the latest high-profile collaboration in the game, but it's a little different this time. Instead of being a skin or an NPC, the streamer is a Sprite. These are relatively new to the game, so if you're wondering about that or where TheBurntPeanut is, we've got you covered. TheBurntPeanut is one of the most unique crossovers in ...
When does the current Fortnite season end? Fortnite
When does the current Fortnite season end? Zachary Roberts When does the current Fortnite season end? This is a question that's always important to know the answer to. For one thing, many elements of the season, such as the items and characters, will go away at that time. That is also when players will no longer be able to earn battle pass rewards. So, when does the current Fortnite season end? Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 just began, but ...