Fortnite is a global phenomenon, a game that has taken the online gaming world by storm over the past five years. Different versions of the game are available on PC, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo consoles, meaning it has a cross-console reach almost like no other game. It had a $9 billion revenue in its first two years, which is not bad considering it began life as a free download. The majority of the vast fortune it has made comes through in-game purchasing, the likes of which have never been seen before.

It’s safe to say if you know anyone in the 8-25 age bracket, they’ll know all about Fornite, and most likely have spent a vast amount of their time playing it. But for those of you who don’t have your finger on the pulse, the game originated as a battle royale, where 100 players were dropped onto a remote island. There are a variety of weapons available to collect on the island, and there is also the ability to construct structures or knock down pre-existing ones to collect resources. They then had to fight off all of the other 99 players, with the last player left is declared as the champion. While it has changed since its inception, with new versions such as Fortnite: Save the World and Fornite Creative being introduced, it is the original version that saw 125 million players taking part in under a year, becoming the unstoppable behemoth it is today. If watching and betting on games such as Fornite is your thing, some of the best betting sites offer odds on some of the top esports.

A number of popular professional esports companies have a team of professionals who regularly play in Fortnite tournaments, battling it out amongst themselves to see who is the best across the globe. One of these companies, Guild Sports PLC have decided that as well as playing in tournaments, they are going to attempt to address the ongoing global environmental crisis. For this reason, they have launched a new carbon-neutral Fortnite tournament, the first of its kind in the world of esports.

Who are Guild Esports?

Guild Esports are actually relative newcomers to the world of esports, having only been launched officially in June of 2020. Some people might be wondering how they rose to prominence so quickly. Well, this is mainly due to their owners. There are several large international investment funds such as Blue Star Capital, Toro Consulting and Soros Fund Management, but the biggest, and also easily most popular and recognisable name to be associated with the company is David Beckham.

There is no need to go into too much detail about who Beckham is (world-famous soccer player, model, businessman, owner of Inter Miami soccer team, married a Spice Girl etc) but what he brings to the company is an instantly recognisable face and millions of adoring fans. While the esports players are probably going to be too young to remember his days playing soccer at Manchester United or Real Madrid, they are certainly more likely to follow Guild Esports because of his involvement.

So back to Fortnite. Guild Esports have teamed up with the Difference Makers sustainability campaign, which began life at the Institution of Engineering and Technology based in London. They have combined forces to create a truly unique Fortnite tournament. Players will compete in what appears to be a normal PVP match, being encouraged to chop down as many trees in the game as possible. For every single tree that is chopped down by a player, Difference Makers will plant a tree in the real world.

Why is this important?

If you hadn’t already noticed, there is an ongoing environmental crisis that is happening in all four corners of the globe right now. Flash floods, forest fires, droughts and ice caps melting are just a few of the issues the world is facing up to right now, with scientists warning that unless something is down imminently, the damage down could be irreversible. So it is heartening to see an esports company such as Guild doing their part to help out, not only by planting the trees but by spreading awareness of the issue to their fans.

Professor Danielle George was quoted about the project, saying that “The future scientists, technicians, engineers and geeks who might one day save the world are likely to be found today- in front of their consoles” The Guild Esports’ director of partnerships, Michelle Tierney, also said that “The Difference Makers campaign not only demonstrates that gaming can be green, it also shows us how the visionaries of the world can be found in unexpected places.”

The rise of esports will continue to happen, as more and more new players will be able to access games like Fortnite. Hopefully, alongside that rise, we will also see a number of similar projects like the Guild Esport carbon neutral tournament, so that gamers can be at the forefront of some inspirational and positive environmental projects.