Epic Games to share 40 percent of store revenue with creators

Epic Games is introducing a new way for custom Fortnite island creators to get paid based on engagement with their published island content.

Under the new system, labelled as Creator Economy 2.o, Epic Games will hand out 40 percent of net revenue from most real-money purchases to creators. This system offers a more proportionate and fairer way of rewarding creators if their Island becomes popular.

According to Epic Games’ blog post about the new system, it started reserving 40 percent of revenue from real-money purchases from its store starting March 1st. That revenue is to be distributed among creators based on the engagement created by eligible island publishers’ creative work.

“Epic’s existing Support-A-Creator program that underpinned Creator Economy 1.0 remains, but is returning to its roots as an affiliate marketing program for streamers and social media content creators,” wrote Epic. In Creator Economy 1.0, creators had to share special codes with their fans, and they would then receive a five percent share of their purchases. However, this approach only worked if players knew to use the code. Players can now show support for their favourite creators’ islands simply by playing them.

According to Epic, “payouts are based on engagement metrics that contribute to the health of the overall Fortnite ecosystem.” At launch, the metrics fall into two groups:

• Player Popularity: Islands that attract new players and re-engage lapsed players signal an experience that Fortnite players love, so the number of players newly joining Fortnite, and lapsed players returning to Fortnite contribute to this calculation.
• Player Retention: Islands where players return day-to-day and week-to-week indicate compelling gameplay, so consistent play and returning players contribute to this calculation.

Creators can sign up for Economy 2.0 through a portal, and those who join on or before April 21st will be paid for engagement dating back to March 1st. To qualify, individuals only need to be 18 years old and have a Fortnite account at least 90 days old.

The Creator Economy 2.0 system is a positive step for creators and players alike, as it offers a more proportionate and fairer way of rewarding creators. The move by Epic Games is sure to keep the platform competitive and engaging for years to come.

To learn more and to apply for the program, please visit the Island Creator Program sign up page. Learn more about the new Creator Economy here.

Image credit: Fortnite creator portal

Source: Epic Games