Epic Games has positioned Fortnite as more than just a game—it’s becoming a platform where independent creators can build sustainable businesses.
The ‘Fortnite Ecosystem Year in Review 2024’ report reveals Fortnite’s creator community grew from 24,000 in 2023 to 70,000 creators in 2024. Published islands doubled to 198,000, with 137,000 created using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic’s development tool.
These creators are driving substantial engagement. Players spent 5.23 billion hours playing creator-made games in 2024, accounting for 36.5% of total Fortnite playtime. This represents a 5% increase from 4.98 billion hours in 2023, indicating that user-generated content is becoming an integral part of the Fortnite experience.
The data shows the company paid $352 million to creators in 2024, an 11% increase from 2023, as user-generated content continues to shape the platform’s future.
The payouts to creators indicate a shift in how gaming platforms can support content creators. Unlike traditional models where creators rely on advertising revenue or direct sales, Fortnite’s ecosystem offers an alternative path for gaming content creators.
The types of content being created are expanding with growth in non-combat genres, including social roleplay, party games, deathruns, and horror experiences. As of January 2025, these variety content formats make up more than 30% of time spent in creator-made experiences – a 50% increase from the previous year.
This diversification suggests that Fortnite is developing beyond its battle royale origins into a broader gaming platform. Games like “Fort Knight Legend” and “Havoc Hotel 2” show creators exploring new possibilities within the platform.
Epic Games’ investment in creator tools and infrastructure, including features like First Person Camera devices, UI tools, and Custom NPCs, shows a commitment to this creator-first approach. The company’s partnership with IPs like LEGO and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles expands the creative options for developers.
This evolution may represent a new direction for gaming platforms, where the distinction between professional game development and user-generated content becomes less defined.
For creators, Fortnite’s model presents a new opportunity. The platform shows that user-generated content can be both creatively and financially viable. With appropriate tools and support, creators can build businesses around their gaming content.
For the gaming industry, this model offers an alternative to traditional game development and distribution. It suggests that gaming platforms might increasingly serve as enablers for creator-driven content rather than just publishers of their own games.
Looking ahead to 2025, Epic Games plans to introduce more tools and features for creators, including custom items and enhanced development capabilities.
