Fortnite: Best players in the world in 2023

For the past five years, the evolution of competitive Fortnite and its players has been incredible. Fans have witnessed a $30 million World Cup, many multi-million-dollar Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) events, and other tournaments to fill in the gaps. Nowadays, the game features more high-level play than ever, but who are the best Fortnite players? We have the answer.

Only a select number of competitors can call themselves genuinely elite. While historical context is significant for this topic, recent and consistent success is also worth considering. After much deliberation, here is our list of the best Fortnite players current Fortnite players in the world.

Queasy is a 21-year-old Serbian professional Fortnite player. His career began in 2019, and he spent the following four years rising through the European ranks. 

In 2021, Queasy won his first Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) title alongside trio teammates Jur3ky and TruleX. The train did not stop there for Queasy, who became one of the best in-game strategists and high-ground players. 

The Serbian standout claimed third in the FNCS Grand Royale Finals with new teammates Th0masHD and Anas. Following the release of Fortnite Chapter 3, Queasy further solidified himself as one of the best players. 

He took home his second Axe of Champions in Chapter 3 Season 1, with duo partner Henrik "Hen" McLean. Then, Queasy joined forces with top fragger Veno. The two players finished second at the FNCS Invitational 2022 LAN event and took first in FNCS Chapter 4 Season 2, winning a record six out of 12 matches.

Veno is an 18-year-old English professional Fortnite player. Many refer to Veno as a phenom and one of the best fraggers the game has ever seen. Veno makes earning eliminations against the world's best players look easy. 

Despite not becoming relevant until early 2021, Veno's track record since then has been impressive. He famously lost a critical 1v1 against five-time FNCS Champion TaySon in the final match of the FNCS All-Star Showdown. However, this moment launched his career. 

Veno claimed his first FNCS Championship in Chapter 3 Season 2, alongside World Cup Champion aqua. The two split shortly after, and Veno paired up with Queasy. 

The tandem of Veno and Queasy proceeded to finish second at the FNCS Invitational 2022 and win FNCS Chapter 4 Season 2. Beyond his FNCS success, Veno is an outstanding solo player with many top LAN placements. 

Kami is an 18-year-old Polish professional Fortnite player with an outstanding career. A veteran in the scene, Kami has remained a steady talent no matter the Chapter or meta. 

With five years under his belt, Kami has a trio FNCS victory alongside teammates Teeq and Setty. This Chapter 2 Season 8 triumph marked Kami's first Axe of Champions. 

In November 2022, Kami and long-time duo partner Setty won the FNCS Invitational—the first significant Fortnite LAN since the World Cup 2019. Kami has also made a name for himself in solos, with various Solo Cash Cup wins and a second-place finish at DreamHack Summer 2022. 

Regardless of format, meta, or physical setting, Kami has adapted and earned himself a spot amongst the best Fortnite players, just like his duo partner. 

Setty is a 19-year-old Polish professional Fortnite player with some impressive accolades to his credit. Like long-time duo partner Kami, Setty has won two FNCS tournaments, one of which was the FNCS Invitational LAN in 2022. 

This placement alone cemented Setty as an all-time Fortnite great. However, this is Setty's second LAN victory, following his DreamHack Summer 2022 triumph. 

A five-year Fortnite veteran, Setty has been atop the leaderboard consistently since Chapter 2. He has significant results in almost every game mode and rarely falls below expectations. 

After recently joining Tundra Esports, Setty and Kami finished fifth in FNCS Chapter 4 Season 2, adding to an already robust resume.

Anyone with vague knowledge of competitive Fortnite might know the name Bugha. This 20-year-old professional player is perhaps the most accomplished in the game's storied history. 

Bugha made a name for himself at the 2019 Fortnite World Cup when he took first place in the solo tournament and earned $3 million. However, this moment was merely the catalyst. 

Since winning the World Cup, Bugha has qualified for 15 FNCS Grand Finals dating back to 2019. His first FNCS victory occurred in Chapter 2 Season 8, alongside teammates Muz and Mero. Bugha then went back-to-back, winning the FNCS Grand Royale after swapping out Muz for Dukez. 

The competitive format changed to duos in Chapter 3, and Bugha and Mero stuck together. This tandem won their third consecutive FNCS in Chapter 3 Season 1, further etching them in the history books. 

While he has not won an FNCS since then, there's no doubt that Bugha is one of the best Fortnite players in history. Many consider him the greatest of all time (GOAT) and someone who transcends the game.

Outside of Bugha, few North Americans in competitive Fortnite history have seen more success than Mero. This 18-year-old controller player began his career in 2020, quickly establishing himself in solo tournaments. 

In Chapter 2 Season 4, Mero joined forces with fellow controller player Deyy and veteran Reverse2k. This trio dominated the field, and Mero ultimately won his first FNCS title. 

This trio ran it back in Season 4 and 5, resulting in a fourth-place finish and their second FNCS victory. Mero earned his flowers during this time as one of the most impactful fraggers in the game. 

Mero proceeded to find success in all game modes. He won two more FNCS titles back-to-back in Chapter 2 Season 8, and Grand Royale. With four FNCS victories, Mero joined forces with Bugha in Fortnite Chapter 3. 

The duo won FNCS Chapter 3 Season 1 and followed that with back-to-back fourth-place finishes in Season 2 and 3. More recently, Mero and new teammate Cooper took second in FNCS Chapter 4 Season 2. His track record as one of the top Fortnite players is top-notch.

Regarding the GOAT conversation, there is a strong argument for considering TaySon. An emerging talent during the COVID era of Fortnite, this 18-year-old Slovenian player went from a relative unknown to a Fortnite Champion rapidly. 

TaySon experienced mediocrity before Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2 but made a name for himself with a fifth-place finish in the FNCS Invitational. His breakout performance occurred in Chapter 2 Season 3, when he won the solo FNCS title. 

After claiming his first marquee win, TaySon went back-to-back in Chapter 2 Season 4. He won the FNCS alongside Fortnite legends Mitr0 and Mongraal, another top performance in a short span. 

TaySon picked up his third FNCS win three seasons later in the Chapter 2 Season 7 solo All-Star Showdown. The Slovenian standout went on to win the FNCS Grand Royale to close out Chapter 2 with teammates Chapix and Hen. 

Despite going winless in the FNCS during Chapter 3, TaySon snagged his fifth title in Chapter 4 Season 1, alongside Latvian player Merstach. TaySon's work is second to none in Fortnite's most prominent region, and he is unquestionably one of the best Fortnite players in the world.

Perhaps a lesser-known name in the competitive Fortnite scene, JannisZ has flown under the radar for years. Like his former duo partner TaySon, JannisZ arrived in 2020 and never looked back. 

The 18-year-old German player earned his first major title in the Chapter 2 Season 2 FNCS Invitational. From there, his career remained consistent in all formats. JannisZ won the FNCS again in Chapter 2 Season 5 with teammates Hen and Chapix. 

His third FNCS victory occurred in Chapter 3 Season 1, with fellow German player Vadeal. Then, in November 2022, he won the DreamHack Winter 2022 LAN tournament by himself. 

While an underrated talent, JannisZ has cemented himself as one of the world's best Fortnite players. 

Fortnite players have yet to see the longevity and success of EpikWhale. He dominated the NA West region most of his career, winning six FNCS titles in two years, mostly in trios. 

Beyond just his online success, EpikWhale made a name for himself for his LAN performances. His most noteworthy accomplishment occurred in July 2022 at the Gamers8 tournament. He and European standout Malibuca captured victory despite limited practice. 

EpikWhale remains one of the top talents despite the recent merging of NA East and NA West. He regularly finishes atop leaderboards and has shown that success over time in Fortnite is possible, making him one of the best Fortnite players.

Here's our selection of players who did not make our Fortnite: Best players final list but who deserve an honorable mention:

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