In a recent announcement following a leak reported by Insider-Gaming, Epic Games revealed that Fortnite Island creators are being granted the ability to test in-island transactions. This exciting update will enable creators to sell various items, including permanent assets, consumables, and loot box-style “paid random items”that offer rewards of chance.
Currently, this feature is in a preview phase and can only be accessed through unpublished projects within the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).Epic Games has indicated that the capacity to incorporate these transactions into published projects will be available soon, although no specific timeline has been provided.
This new development marks a significant shift in Fortnite’s user-generated content landscape, drawing parallels to platforms like Roblox in how they facilitate player creativity and monetization. Once fully operational, players will be able to purchase items on islands using V-Bucks. To prepare for this, Epic has updated its developer policies and released relevant documentation on managing in-island transactions.
What Creators Can Sell on Fortnite Islands
Creators will have the option to sell a variety of items on their islands, which includes:
- Durable Items: Assets that can be purchased once and remain persistent across gaming sessions on an island.
- Consumable Items: Assets that diminish upon use, yet may persist through game sessions.
- Gameplay Items: Items featuring gameplay mechanics or visuals similar to approved Fortnite cosmetics, such as “Boots of Speed” or “Jetpack.”
- Bundled Collections: Groupings of durable, consumable, and gameplay items.
- Paid Random Items: These items provide a chance to receive a random reward.
- New parental controls will allow guardians to manage their child’s ability to acquire paid random items where available.
- Custom Passes and Progression Systems: Paid areas and bespoke gameplay elements.
Among these options, the introduction of “paid random items”raises some concerns due to their resemblance to loot boxes, which can create an unpredictable spending environment for players. However, it is reassuring to note that purchases won’t be automatic for children using accounts with parental controls activated.
Importantly, the new terms explicitly prohibit the sale of cosmetic items that have similarities with existing Fortnite cosmetics, competitive pricing undercutting by creators, anything involving physical products, experience points, and external checkout processes for transactions. This is a strategic move by Epic to maintain integrity and oversight over the gaming economy in Fortnite.
The introduction of in-island transactions is poised to significantly influence the dynamics of Fortnite Islands and the community interacting with them. Observers are keen to see how this feature evolves, and thus far, Epic Games appears to be adopting a cautious yet progressive approach to implementing this functionality, even as it navigates the complexities of loot boxes.
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