Epic has released their “Year in Review” for 2024, showcasing the massive growth and success of the Fortnite creator ecosystem. The number of Fortnite creators has tripled from 24,000 in 2023 to 70,000 in 2024, with 198,000 islands created and an average of 60,000 creator-made islands being played every day. Epic paid out a total of $352M to creators in 2024, with a breakdown showing that many creators are making substantial amounts of money through the platform. The review also highlights that players spent 5.23 billion hours playing games made by creators, representing 36.5% of total Fortnite playtime. This demonstrates the significant impact of user-generated content on the game’s overall engagement. Additionally, non-combat creations such as social roleplay, party games, deathruns, and horror experiences have contributed to this growth. Furthermore, Epic has been successful in integrating various brands into Fortnite, allowing creators to use official tie-ins from companies like LEGO and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This has enabled creators to develop authentic commercial games using well-known intellectual properties without the need for complicated contracts or negotiations. One notable example is Pizza Shop Tycoon Boss Fight, which used Fortnite’s assets to create an officially licensed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles experience that has resonated with players. Looking ahead, Epic has plans to introduce new features such as moving Scene Graph into Beta, custom items, and additional tools to support the creation of deeper and more complex games in popular genres. Epic also aims to enhance developer insight tools, improve the Discover experience for players, and provide a roadmap with more details in the near future. Despite facing legal battles with Apple and Google, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney remains optimistic about the future of Fortnite and its potential role in shaping the gaming industry. He believes that Fortnite represents the future of immersive 3D gaming and envisions a world with billions of users engaged in this kind of experience. Overall, the “Year in Review” paints a picture of tremendous success for the Fortnite creator ecosystem, with significant financial rewards for creators and a growing player base engaging with user-generated content. Epic’s commitment to further developing the platform indicates that they are poised to maintain their position as a leading company in the gaming industry.