All articles tagged with #epic games
Epic Games confirmed a massive crossover with Five Nights at Freddy's for its annual Halloween event, Fortnitemares, launching October 1. The announcement tweet became the most-liked in Fortnite's history, signaling unprecedented fan enthusiasm. The event also features crossovers with Beetlejuice, Freddy Krueger, Slender Man, and The Purge, with additional collaborations potentially rolling out throughout October.
Epic Games has officially confirmed that Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) will join Fortnite for the Fortnitemares 2026 event, launching on October 1, 2026. The collaboration introduces Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria as a map location and features animatronic bosses. Players can expect new skins for Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, along with potential horror-themed gameplay modes. This marks the first major FNAF crossover in the battle royale, following months of speculation and hints within the current Override season.
Dutch consumer group SMC has filed a class action lawsuit against Epic Games, seeking over €100 million in damages for allegedly misleading young Fortnite players. The suit claims Epic’s item shop design pressured minors into purchases and collected data without parental consent. Epic responded by highlighting existing parental controls and purchase restrictions for minors in the Netherlands.
Fortnite’s servers are down for scheduled maintenance ahead of version 42. Epic Games says the game will be back online around midday UK time (7am ET). The update introduces map changes, new weapons and items, new loot, and gameplay tweaks including a “cheat code” feature, plus bug fixes and performance improvements (notably on Nintendo Switch). Players have mixed reactions, with some criticizing a monetization move that gates exclusive content behind gifting a Battle Pass and ongoing complaints about matchmaking and other changes.
Fortnite's Gaming Legends season officially reveals Sonic the Hedgehog joining the battle, complete with a gun, alongside a roster of guest icons including Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Mega Man, Mortal Kombat, Tetris, Pac-Man and Jazz Jackrabbit; Joker from Persona 5 had already been confirmed, and Doctor Eggman is also included. The update goes live August 20, with a trailer showing weaponized cosmetics for the licensed characters.
Disney and Epic Games have launched a cross‑media Fortnite adventure that links the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run ride to a queue‑level mission; completing it unlocks a Forsworn Trooper Outfit in a new Fortnite experience called Smugglers Gambit, with the ride's Unreal Engine assets integrated into the game—bridging Disney's real‑world park experience with Fortnite.
Apple asks a court to allow up to a 15% fee on purchases made via external payment links for App Store apps, with 10% for some programs and 5% for Small Business, as part of the ongoing Epic Games antitrust dispute; the piece also notes Google’s ongoing Play Store changes—opening to external billing and third‑party stores under a separate case.
Apple has submitted a proffer with proposed off‑App Store commission rates for the Epic Games v. Apple case: 15% for standard apps (30% IAP), 10% for Video/News/Mini Apps Partner Programs and renewals, and 5% for Small Business Program apps. The filing also notes comparisons to Google Play’s rates and argues the linked-out fees are procompetitive, while the Supreme Court has allowed lower‑court proceedings to continue. Epic is expected to respond, with further briefs due as the case progresses, including a Sept. 14 deadline for Apple’s Supreme Court brief.
Apple asks to collect fees on external purchases made via links outside the App Store, proposing 15% for standard apps, 10% for certain partner programs and renewals, and 5% for Small Business; Epic says the plan exceeds Ninth Circuit guidance, while Apple argues that its necessary costs would be essentially zero. The Ninth Circuit had suggested costs could justify fees, and the Supreme Court is weighing whether Apple willfully violated the injunction in Epic Games v. Apple, with no off‑App Store commissions in effect yet.
In Epic Games v. Google, Judge James Donato ruled that Google must reduce “anticompetitive friction” in Android app distribution: rival app stores must be allowed inside Google Play, rivals must get access to Google’s full app catalog for years, and Google must fix friction such as a preliminary “view” step before installation and misleading search/surface results. The changes are to be implemented quickly, with a deadline of about a week.
KitBash has acquired ArtStation and Sketchfab from Epic Games, bringing the two 3D art platforms under the same umbrella as KitBash3D and Greyscalegorilla. The deal aims to create a connected ecosystem spanning learning, asset creation, publishing, and artist discovery, while preserving existing portfolios, libraries, and workflows. Epic will continue to focus on Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, and the Epic Games Store.
Following a judge’s order tied to the Epic Games antitrust case, Google began hosting third‑party app stores in the Play Store, with Aptoide as the first. Stores must meet security standards, undergo Google review, and incur upfront fees; developers can opt out. The US rollout is active with international expansion planned, adding a new distribution path beyond Google’s own store, though Aptoide’s catalog remains comparatively sparse for now.
Aptoide has made Aptoide Games available on Google Play for Android users in the United States, marking a milestone for third-party app stores on the official Android store. The move follows years of tension between Google and alternative storefronts and a 2024 ruling that opened Play Store to competitors, with Epic Games’ litigation helping spur broader distribution options for developers and more choices for users.
With the Google–Epic settlement withdrawn, Google will begin distributing third-party app stores on Google Play starting July 22. Rival stores will have default access to the full Play catalog, with developers able to opt out, and stores must meet security, IP, and update/uninstall requirements. A $5,000 annual compliance fee applies, and stores can be removed for malware issues. The rollout is framed as a global “Registered App Stores” program to boost competition and user choice while preserving Android security; US rollout details remain to be clarified.
Epic Games has settled with a former contractor accused of leaking confidential Fortnite collaborations with IPs such as Minecraft, Ben 10, and Game of Thrones. The agreement includes an injunction prohibiting the contractor from possessing or disclosing Epic secrets, but does not specify compensation or damages, even though Epic sought them in the lawsuit.