Fortnite creator update will change Star Wars video games forever

UEFN is getting 7 years' worth of Star Wars assets, as well as totally new features like lightsaber customization and NPC dialogue systems

Starting today, the Fortnite Unreal Editor is getting a suite of Star Wars assets that will let fans anywhere make their own games in a galaxy far, far away. This isn't just a collection of lightsabers and Force powers, though those things are a part of the update as well. Epic Games and Lucasfilm will let Fortnite creators craft experiences with all the Star Wars characters they know and love, like Luke Skywalker and The Mandalorian's Din Djarin. Users will also be able to mess around with iconic vehicles, like X-Wings and TIE Fighters.

Star Wars has been a part of Fortnite plenty of times before, but Epic's UEFN update is a much bigger deal than a themed battle pass or limited-time mode. With the new set of tools, developers will be able to make any Star Wars experience they can think of. During a hands-off demo at GDC, Epic Games showed Polygon a video reel of examples of the types of games people will be able to make. One of them included a Star Wars tycoon-style experience that seemed almost like Pokémon, but with droids that players could collect, customize, and adventure with. Another one was a large-scale dogfighting game that took place in a dangerous asteroid field.

A trailer for the new Star Wars tools for Fortnite developers showed even more, including a sidescroller with Luke Skywalker; a Mario Party-style multiplayer game with players riding on Tauntauns; a battle on Hoth that looks kind of like Battlefield; and a Pilotwings-like minigame with a TIE Fighter flying through a series of rings.

Critically, players won't need to spend money to equip specific skins that have historically only been available through the Fortnite shop. If a creator makes a Chewbacca game, then fans can jump right in and play as Chewbacca. Every asset is programmed to work in the way it would in Star Wars, but players can fine-tune nearly anything they'd like. With an X-Wing, for instance, fans will be able to change the ship's speed and firing rate. This also means that fans can theoretically build their own custom lightsabers in UEFN. Classic Force powers like Push and Mind Trick will also be available for users to fiddle around with.

The update debuts a new slate of Force powers, like healing, enemy detection, and protective barriers. Unlike Fortnite's Battle Royale mode, none of these mechanics are tied to wielding a Lightsaber. Some returning assets, like the Mandalorian jetpack, have been enhanced — the flight tool will now allow for omnidirectional movement where players can soar and shoot at the same time. Even finer details, like Star Wars-themed UI and fonts, will be available to creators.

With this update, Epic is debuting a new conversation system that enables fans to create more role-playing heavy experiences. One of the exemplar maps makes use of this mechanic by allowing players to chat with NPCs in a cantina. Theoretically, someone could build a Mass Effect-style game where the action is just as important as the dialogue.

The update will come with a set of three "exemplar" islands that Epic has developed in partnership with Disney, which are meant to give players a taste of what they can make. These include "the icy tundra of Hoth, the sandy dunes of Tatooine, and the lava fields of Nevarro," Epic Games said in a blog post. Fans will also have access to classic scene sets, like the Death Star and the Mos Eisley cantina. Notably, while the tools to create Star Wars islands are accessible starting today, fans won't be able to publish anything until May 1. Between now and then, Epic will introduce even more functionality to its toolkit, including support for first-person shooting.

Epic is expecting an influx of thousands of Star Wars islands. To help with discoverability, fan-made Star Wars maps will have their own section in Fortnite that highlights new and noteworthy islands. Like any other fan-made map, creators will be paid based on player engagement with their islands — but Disney will receive a 20% cut, Epic says.

According to Epic, this is a suite that combines seven years worth of Star Wars Battle Royale content in one go. The only thing that appears to be missing is the AI tech that Epic experimented with via Darth Vader last year. Even so, it's a robust update that firmly places the future of Star Wars games in Fortnite's backyard. After all, officially licensed Star Wars games are few and far between — and in some cases, will take many years before anyone can play them.

Based on the success of Steal the Brainrot, which once reached a concurrent player count higher than many AAA games, we know there's an audience of Fortnite fans willing to play things that aren't made by Epic. Who knows? Between now and whenever Arcanaut Studios delivers Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic or Quantic Dream releases Star Wars Eclipse, an ambitious fan might beat everyone to the punch by creating a deep, choice-driven Fortnite story that's totally free to play.