This article was originally published at: https://peresdaily.com/epic-games-fortnite-issues/
Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, is under scrutiny from prominent creators who are calling for more action against misconduct among map creators in the community-focused version of Fortnite, known as UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite). This version of Fortnite, which caters to both amateur and professional creators, generated $320 million in payouts last year. However, the competition for this money among creators of Fortnite Island, or user-generated maps, has led to some unsavory behavior.
Several creators have submitted Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests, alleging trademark violations by those supposedly copying their games. Epic Games has been suspending these creators, possibly out of legal caution. However, this has led to dissatisfaction among those who have been on the receiving end of what they consider to be “bogus” DMCA takedowns.
Fortnite Map Creators’ Concerns
Andre “Typical Gamer” Rebelo, a popular creator with a social following of 25 million people, has expressed his concerns about these issues. Rebelo, who has spent hundreds of hours creating his own Fortnite maps in the past year, believes that Epic Games needs to do more to address these problems and improve communication.
Rebelo also highlighted another significant issue, known as “like cheating.” This involves Fortnite map creators deceiving players into “favoriting” their maps to gain access to rare weapons in the game. This tactic has been used by some of the biggest makers of the most popular Fortnite islands, helping them maintain their top positions. For some of these map makers, there is a lot of money at stake — potentially up to $15 million in revenues for some games that use these tactics to stay at the top.
Other Problems
Another issue involves top map maker, Geerzy, who attempted to trademark common language for popular maps like “The Pit” to substantiate DMCA strikes against all other “pit maps.” However, others have pointed out that Geerzy didn’t invent “The Pit,” which originally came from a Minecraft modder. Epic Games recently reinstated one of the map makers that Geerzy had targeted with a DMCA strike.
In response to these issues, a spokesperson for Epic Games stated that they take misuse of the DMCA system seriously and do not tolerate false copyright claims. They also noted that tricking players into liking or favoriting an island is a violation of their rules and is now a focus for enforcement.
Rebelo’s Response
While Rebelo appreciated Epic Games’ response, he expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s handling of DMCA takedown requests. He criticized the lack of due process for the accused and the potential for significant lost revenue due to the suspension of a map during the investigation period. Rebelo also expressed frustration with the lack of repercussions for those filing false DMCA claims.
Rebelo believes that Epic Games should be more communicative about the actions it is taking and the reasons for those actions. This story is still developing, and we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
This article was originally published at: https://peresdaily.com/epic-games-fortnite-issues/
