Fortnite CEO says they're focusing on UEFN so players can make scrapped modes "better than we did" following layoffs

Fortnite CEO says they’re focusing on UEFN so players can make scrapped modes “better than we did” following layoffs

Tim Sweeney with a Fortnite Ballistic background

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March 25 2026

Following large-scale layoffs at Epic Games, CEO Tim Sweeney has responded to fans asking for continued support of now-dead game modes.

Alongside the layoffs, which employees state will have major consequences for the future of Fortnite, Epic Games scrapped three major game modes for the live-service game: Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival Battle Stage.

After the news, fans have specifically asked for continued support for the game’s Ballistic game mode, an FPS game mode that launched for the game in 2024. Popular YouTuber TypicalGamer asked Sweeney on social media if the CEO would allow his gaming company to buy the mode “maintain, update and grow it”.

In response, Sweeney explained that Epic is working “to ship a number of missing UEFN features” that will let fans create whatever they want within Fortnite following the game mode’s culling. The CEO claimed that, with the features, “anyone can build comparable games in these genres, and do it better than we did”.

The Epic Games boss continued to explain that “Epic is reorganizing” its teams to deliver “as many useful features and Verse capabilities as possible”. Sweeney added: “We had a UE5/UEFN split among the teams previously and now everyone is together”.

While it seems that Fortnite’s main battle royale game mode as well as LEGO Fortnite and the main Fortnite Festival will be maintained, the game is continually moving more towards a Roblox-like structure that focuses more on content created by fans instead of new modes created by developers at Epic Games.

Rocket Racing and Fortnite Ballistic — Fortnite is removing Rocket Racing, Festival Battle Stage, and Ballistic. Image by FRVR

Following the popularity of experiences such as Steal a Brainrot, an extremely basic tycoon game largely played by children, the focus of Fortnite is seemingly doubling down on its plans to become a Roblox-esque metaverse.

The Epic Games layoffs and the loss of three major game modes has come directly after an increase in the price of V-Bucks for the online game. After the news of V-Bucks price increases, Epic promised big things for the game’s next season, but devs have expressed worry regarding future seasons with the drastic loss in workforce.

It’s clear that Epic Games’ gargantuan free-to-play game is currently at a crossroads right now, and it’s unclear how the online world will continue to evolve into the future. While Epic has adamantly pushed its place as an online metaverse, is the platform able to survive if the main battle royale game mode doesn’t thrive?

About The Author

Lewis White

Lewis White is a veteran games journalist with over a decade in the field. Starting with beloved Xbox website ICXM/XboxMAD, Lewis became the Gaming Editor at MSPoweruser before becoming the Editor in Chief of StealthOptional and Gfinityesports. Lewis later jumped to By Gamers For Gamers where he jumped to become EIC of VideoGamer and the host of the New VideoGamer Podcast prior to the website’s acquisition.

Over the years, Lewis has also seen long-form investigative pieces published in outlets such as Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, Retro Gamer, Nintendo Life, and EDGE. Now, as the Editor in Chief of FRVR Blog, Lewis strives to bring the same level of quality journalism with interview-led content to the site in both written and audio form with the FRVR Podcast.

With a First Degree BA Hons in Games Journalism and Public Relations, Lewis has been a stable part of the British games press for over a decade, and has frequently displayed his love of Halo, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and other games pretty much everywhere he’s worked. And FRVR is no different.

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