The next big 'Fortnite' eSports event is an $8 million, 8-week tourney

Epic's Fortnite eSports initiatives are continuing beyond the recent Pro-Am charity tournament. The studio has unveiled a Summer Skirmish series that will hand out $8 million in prizes across eight weeks' worth of competitions, starting with a $250,000 Duos bout this weekend. Just don't expect to jump in -- Epic is choosing players who are either "community creators" (read: streamers) and skilled players, and it has already invited competitors for the first rounds of play. If there are open events, you'll have to wait.

The timing isn't coincidental. Epic is starting Fortnite Season 5 on July 12th (maintenance starts at 4AM Eastern), and the Summer Skirmish could kick things off with a bang. If the prospect of new gameplay experiences and cosmetics doesn't fire you up by itself, some high-stakes competitions just might. Epic is determined to keep its game's relentless momentum going, and it's willing to spend a lot to make that happen.