Epic Crosses $1B in UEFN Creator Payouts as Island Playtime Hits 47%
Epic Games says it has paid creators over $1 billion since UEFN launched in 2023, and that community-made islands captured 47% of Fortnite player hours in May 2026.
By IslandAtlas
Epic Games announced that it has paid out more than $1 billion to creators using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) since the tool launched in 2023. The milestone was shared during the State of Unreal keynote at Unreal Fest in Chicago on June 17, 2026.
Community-made games have become a growing share of Fortnite playtime. According to Epic, creator-built islands captured 47% of all player hours in May 2026, up from 38% a year earlier. Roughly 75 million monthly active users now play games inside Fortnite.
Your games are a growing share of Fortnite playtime. In May, we saw them capture 47% of all player hours, up from just 38% a year ago. And with over $1 billion now paid out to developers since the launch of UEFN, these teams are building businesses here.
A second revenue stream takes hold
Beyond the original engagement payout model, Epic introduced in-island transactions in January 2026, giving creators a second way to monetize. The company says more than 3,000 islands now earn more through in-island transactions than through engagement payouts, and that non-battle-royale games account for over 75% of all in-game transactions. Full details and figures are available via PocketGamer.biz.
- Total paid to creators: over $1 billion since UEFN's 2023 launch
- Creator-island share of Fortnite playtime: 47% in May 2026 (up from 38% a year earlier)
- Islands earning more from in-island transactions than engagement payouts: more than 3,000
- Non-battle-royale share of in-game transactions: over 75%
Sources
IslandAtlas is an independent analytics site and is not affiliated with Epic Games. Coverage is editorial; see linked sources.
