A major change is coming to Fortnite. Starting December 2025, players will be able to sell their own items directly from the game’s custom islands. New development tools will allow creators to make durable items (like special weapons or skins that persist) and “consumable” items (one-time use, like health packs).
Epic says it wants to empower creators in the same way Roblox has. It wants Fortnite to evolve into a flexible space that’s about building worlds, not just surviving them.
How Will This Work?
Epic has set up a generous (though temporary) system for revenue sharing. Through the end of 2026, creators will keep 100% of the V-Bucks value of their sales, minus platform fees. Epic estimates this to be about 74% of the real-world cash players spend.
Starting in 2027, the split evens out: 50% to creators, 50% to Epic. Epic says the change will help cover server costs, moderation, and infrastructure. Even with the change, the revenue cut still beats what many competing platforms offer. For creators who want to monetize their content, Fortnite has given them more options to work with.
From Battle Royale to Digital Platform
What does this shift mean for Fortnite itself? About 36% of playtime is happening on creator-made islands, and Epic paid $352 million to creators in 2024. By giving players new ways to earn money, Epic is encouraging players to spend even more time away from the core game.
Epic Games has been repositioning Fortnite as something broader. They’ve been rebranding it as a space for brands, musicians, indie developers, and hobbyists. The new “Sponsored Row” ads, engagement-based payouts, creator community features. It’s clear that Fortnite is trying to emulate Roblox.
The Risk of Its Losing Identity
However, it’s important that developers don’t become so ambitious that they risk alienating players. After all, Fortnite is a battle royale type of game. That’s why people flocked to it in the first place, and why it became a cultural force to be reckoned with. In its race to become a multi-purpose platform, Fortnite could alienate players who just want the game as it is.
The creator economy is where the industry is headed. Epic is following along so it won’t get left behind. The success will be measured on whether Fortnite can balance its identity as a game with its ambition to be a platform.
At the end of the day, people came for the battle royale. If Epic forgets that, all the creator tools in the world won’t stop players from moving on.
