Epic Games may have opened a can of worms by fully enabling developers in Fortnite Creative to implement in-game purchases into their experiences.
Developer tools for in-game transactions were available in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) in a preview state since November, letting creators charge V-Bucks for digital items in their unpublished Fortnite Creative modes and games, or “islands.” Epic Games has just flipped the switch, allowing for these islands to be published.
The implementation of these developer tools for monetization in Fortnite Creative has raised complaints and worries, with players comparing this development to Roblox’s revenue model. Concerns about pay-to-win practices and predatory microtransactions have emerged in Fortnite communities since Epic Games first announced its plans to implement this approach.
You can now publish your islands that feature in-island transactions. Players will be able to purchase items and offers in your islands with V-Bucks.
For a refresher on how it all works, check out our blog here: https://t.co/vGu3kGmGl9— Fortnite Creators (@FNCreate) January 9, 2026
On the creator side, Epic Games says that Fortnite developers will keep 100% of V-Bucks value from in-island transactions until January 31, 2027, after which they’ll only receive 50% of the value from these purchases. (This was all part of an effort that Epic says is meant to treat aspects of Fortnite more like Unreal Engine and the Epic Games Store, where it thinks of things as a tools provider rather than a game developer.) Fortnite creators also still receive payouts calculated by user engagement with their islands.
An FAQ from Epic Games clarifies that players cannot cancel in-island purchases or use Return Tickets, warning players to “review offers carefully prior to purchase.” The FAQ also reminds players that items from in-island purchases are only usable on the island they were purchased for.
In June 2025, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney spoke to The Game Business and expressed reluctance for Fortnite to adapt monetization practices that led to pay-to-win scenarios or that locked items behind certain modes and experiences.
“If that becomes the way gaming works, there’s going to be a lot of poor deals offered to customers,” Sweeney said at the time.
