Fortnite, facing increasing competition from rival platform Roblox, is significantly altering its creator program to allow developers to directly sell in-game items. This move, announced Thursday by publisher Epic Games, promises a substantial boost to creator income and underscores the growing importance of user-generated content (UGC) within the gaming landscape.
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New Monetization Opportunities for Creators
Currently, creators within the Fortnite Creator program receive revenue from engagement payouts related to Epic-created items. The upcoming changes expand this system, enabling them to earn a share of the value generated by the items they design and sell within the game.
Generous Revenue Share & Limited-Time Boost
Creators will initially receive 50% of the value of V-Bucks (Fortnite’s virtual currency) earned from sales, before platform and store fees. However, in a significant incentive, Epic Games will increase this revenue share to 100% for creators from December until the end of 2026. These fees, which vary from 12% to 30%, depend on whether players purchase items directly from the Epic Games Store or from other platforms like PlayStation or Xbox.
Context: Legal Battles & the Rise of Roblox
This shift comes amid ongoing legal challenges for Epic Games with Apple and Google over app store fees. These disputes previously led to Fortnite’s removal from iOS and Android platforms, though it has since returned in Europe. Simultaneously, the success of Roblox, which has seen its creators earning over $1 billion in 2024, has clearly impacted Epic’s strategy. Roblox’s model, centered around empowering its user base to build and monetize their own games and assets, has become a benchmark in the UGC gaming space.
This move is a necessary step for Fortnite to stay competitive, but more importantly, it reflects that UGC gaming and the metaverse are already the dominant way Gen Z and Gen Alpha play, create and socialize.
– Joe Ferencz, Founder and CEO at Gamefam
Why This Matters: The Power of User-Generated Content
Fortnite’s decision highlights a broader trend: the increasing power of user-generated content in gaming and the evolving metaverse. Joe Ferencz, founder and CEO at Gamefam, emphasizes that UGC gaming is rapidly becoming the primary way younger generations play, create, and socialize.
The move also reveals the psychological drivers behind player engagement. Many players aren’t necessarily supporting specific creators, but are instead driven by a desire to personalize their avatars and showcase unique items to their friends. By compensating creators for enabling this self-expression, Fortnite aims to further cultivate its vibrant and personalized gaming environment.
The Future of Gaming: Creators & Identity
Ultimately, Fortnite’s changes represent an acknowledgement of the future of gaming—one where creators and brands play a vital role, and where players can explore and express their identities within virtual worlds. This transition not only benefits creators financially, but also solidifies Fortnite’s position as a central hub for creativity and social connection within the burgeoning metaverse.
