Cinematic Director: Fortnite Ecosystem – Cinematic Trailers
About the job
- A portfolio or reel demonstrating short-form directing, character-driven storytelling, strong comedic instincts, and visual storytelling.
- Directing experience across animation, cinematic trailers, commercials, digital shorts, games, or other short-form entertainment.
- Strong cinematic fundamentals, including shot design, composition, camera movement, editing, pacing, and performance.
- Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine and Sequencer; familiarity with Control Rig workflows.
- Ability to develop ideas through brainstorming, rapid iteration, and shared creative ownership.
- A distinct creative point of view and willingness to challenge assumptions while remaining open to feedback.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt quickly as creative direction and priorities evolve.
- Ability to communicate creative intent across Animation, Layout, Lighting, FX, and technical teams.
- Collaborate with directors and discipline leads to define the creative vision, story, tone, and visual language for Fortnite cinematic trailers and short-form content.
- Develop and pitch original story and comedy ideas, taking them from early concept through final delivery.
- Work hands-on in Unreal Engine 5, building and iterating sequences in Sequencer.
- Translate scripts and storyboards into compelling shots through composition, camera movement, performance, pacing, and visual comedy.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously while synthesizing feedback from Marketing, Art Direction, Game Direction, and other creative partners.
- Partner across Animation, Layout, Lighting, FX, Production, and Technical Art to bring the creative vision to life.
- Collaborate with the Animation Director on performance and motion capture, and oversee scene assembly in Unreal Engine.
- Communicate ideas through storyboards, draw-overs, animatics, rip-o-matics, and other visual tools.
- Explore emerging tools and workflows that help the team iterate quickly and improve creative quality.
- Experience directing actors, performance capture, or motion capture sessions.
- Background in animation, storyboarding, editing, or visual development.
- Familiarity with modeling, skinning, rigging, or technical art.
- Interest in emerging animation and filmmaking technologies, including procedural and AI-assisted workflows.
- Scripting or technical art knowledge, including Python or Blueprints.
About the company
Epic Games develops and publishes popular video games and provides development tools and online services for other studios. It creates games like Fortnite across multiple platforms and monetizes via game sales, in-game purchases, and Battle Pass subscriptions; it also licenses Unreal Engine to other developers and offers Epic Online Services for multiplayer and backend support. Epic Games differentiates itself by combining in-house game development with a widely used game engine and a built-in set of backend services, creating an integrated ecosystem for players and developers. Its goal is to entertain players with engaging games while helping other developers build, operate, and grow their own titles.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
Late Stage VC
Total Funding
$8.6B
Headquarters
Cary, North Carolina
Founded
1991
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Unreal Engine 5.8 launched June 17, 2026, and UE6 development is advancing.
- Epic Games Store posted $400 million third-party PC spend in 2025, up 57%.
- Fortnite returned to global App Stores on May 19, 2026, restoring mobile reach.
What critics are saying
- March 24, 2026 layoffs cut over 1,000 staff after Fortnite engagement fell.
- Stichting Massaschade & Consument filed a €100 million Dutch class action on September 2026.
- Apple's Supreme Court appeal threatens Epic's store economics; a loss weakens its distribution fight.
What makes Epic Games unique
- Unreal Engine 6 merges UEFN and UE5; Epic targets late-2027 early access.
- Fortnite powers Epic's creator economy, paying UEFN creators over $1 billion since 2023.
- Epic links EGS purchases to Fortnite cosmetics, turning commerce into gameplay distribution.
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Benefits
Health coverage - 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match and profit share
Robust mental well-being programs & free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents
Unlimited PTO & sick time
Paid sabbatical
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 1%Shooter System Shock 2 and detective visual novel Buried Stars are now being given away for free on EGS. By Daniel Whitaker Game Journalist at 7GrandSteps | Reviews and Gameplay Articles Last updated: Oct 02, 2026 Epic Games Store launches new free game giveaway. The Epic Games Store has kicked off its latest free giveaway, offering players the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster and the visual novel Buried Stars. Russian users can claim both titles at no cost until 18:00 on October 8. System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster brings back the 1999 cult immersive shooter with its deep mechanics and survival horror gameplay intact, set aboard a space station overrun by a rogue AI. The remaster features upgraded models, textures, and other visual improvements alongside modern quality-of-life additions. Buried Stars, meanwhile, is a mystery adventure that has earned very positive reviews from players. The game tasks players with solving a murder inside a TV studio, where choices made along the way shape the unfolding narrative. Its blend of 2D and 3D graphics is among the elements players have praised. A fresh giveaway is set to go live on the evening of October 8, when the horror title Out of Sight and the city-building puzzle game TerraScape will become available for free. Screenshot of Buried Stars
Fortnite's creature games have a problem: their Sidekicks are going invisible. * Epic is investigating invisible Sidekick NPCs on developer-made islands. * Creator reports describe missing models; one contributor says collision and despawn effects remain. * The official notice reviewed provides no fix date. 2 Oct 2026, 12:05 AM IST 3 min. read Epic Games is investigating a Fortnite bug that makes Sidekick NPCs invisible on creator-made islands, following reports on October 1. The problem concerns characters that developers can build activities around, including creature battles, farming games and companion adventures. For an island that asks players to find, follow or fight a creature, losing sight of that character could disrupt the activity itself. The extent of that disruption remains unclear, but Epic has now acknowledged the visibility issue. "We're investigating an issue where NPC Sidekicks are invisible on developer-made islands."Epic Games - Advertisement - What creators are reporting about invisible Sidekicks. Developer vageuly reported testing multiple islands on PC and Nintendo Switch 2, with Sidekick models failing to appear. According to the post, the devices associated with those characters remained visible, but the Sidekicks themselves did not. Other contributors described additional symptoms. Giddybrom said the NPCs retained collision and despawn effects despite having almost no visibility or sound. VarunAiyar also reported that Sidekicks did not appear in UEFN live sessions, where creators test their projects. Epic staff member Flak responded to the thread and subsequently confirmed that the team was investigating. TalkEsport reviewed the public reports and Epic's acknowledgement but has not independently reproduced the bug. Those accounts suggest the problem warrants investigation beyond a single island. However, they do not establish that every map using Sidekicks, or every platform, experiences identical symptoms. Why Sidekick NPCs matter to Fortnite's creator games. Epic introduced scriptable Sidekick NPCs in June 2026, with publication of islands using the feature opening on July 23. Its announcement specifically encouraged monster battlers, creature-collection RPGs, farming games and adventures built around companions. The feature gives creators control over how those creatures behave, alongside their appearance and size. Epic's Sidekick creation documentation explains how developers connect a character definition to an NPC Spawner and use Verse code to design custom behaviour. That flexibility lets a familiar pet become an opponent, a quest companion or part of an island's progression. If its model disappears, players could struggle to identify a target or understand what an interaction requires. Those are potential consequences of the reported symptoms, rather than confirmed outcomes across every affected game. TalkEsport has previously covered the growth of Fortnite Creative and its creator payouts. Developers ask players to invest time in these experiences while relying on Epic's underlying systems. A fault in a shared character feature can therefore become a problem for the game built around it. Does this affect purchased Sidekicks? Epic's acknowledgement specifically identifies NPC Sidekicks on developer-made islands. It does not confirm deleted purchases, missing Locker items or a failure affecting all Sidekick cosmetics in Battle Royale. Players may be more familiar with companions such as the Kitsune Sidekick covered in TalkEsport's guide. These can accompany a player as cosmetics, whereas creators can give NPC Sidekicks a role within an island's gameplay. There is some overlap: Epic's Cosmetic Sync feature lets an NPC take the appearance of a player's equipped Sidekick. However, a visibility problem involving an island's NPC does not, by itself, demonstrate that the player has lost ownership of the corresponding cosmetic. Has Epic announced a fix? The latest October 1 notice reviewed by TalkEsport says the investigation is continuing. It does not provide a confirmed cause, a repair date or an official workaround. Creators documenting the issue can make their reports more useful by including an island code, the platform used and footage of the expected interaction. Distinguishing a missing model from a character that never spawned would also help clarify the symptoms. For games built around feeding, collecting or battling creatures, those details matter. Restoring the characters' visibility is essential to letting players understand the encounters and activities their creators designed. - Advertisement - Founding Editor, TalkEsport
Fortnite Obsession collab confirmed for Fortnitemares October 1. Key Takeaways * Fortnite Obsession collab confirmed for October 1 via One Wish Willow flash frame and Capstone Studios copyright credit in the Fortnitemares 2026 trailer. * Players expect a Nikki skin and One Wish Willow Back Bling based on fan concepts that went viral earlier in 2026. * Fortnitemares 2026 also brings Five Nights at Freddy's, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Purge, Beetlejuice, and Slender Man. Epic Games dropped the Fortnitemares 2026 trailer on September 29 and buried the Fortnite Obsession collab confirmation inside it. A flash frame showed a pair of hands holding the One Wish Willow box. The end-credit reads: "Obsession and related elements Capstone Studios Corp - All Rights Reserved." October 1 is when everything lands with update v42.30. How the Fortnite Obsession collab got confirmed. Two things in the Fortnitemares 2026 trailer sealed it. First, the One Wish Willow - the iconic item from the 2026 horror movie - appeared for a split second with a Fortnite character holding it. Second, the end-credit frame included a Capstone Studios Corp copyright notice tied directly to Obsession. Neither of those details shows up by accident in an official trailer. The One Wish Willow being in Fortnite's hands confirms it enters the game as an item of some kind. The copyright credit confirms the legal partnership between Epic and Capstone Studios is already in place. What Obsession is and why fans wanted the collab. Obsession is a 2026 horror film directed by Curry Barker. The movie centers on the One Wish Willow - a supernatural item that grants wishes with dark consequences. The film performed well enough to build a fanbase that pushed hard for a Fortnite crossover throughout the Chapter 7 Season 4 Override season. Fan concepts for a Nikki skin - the main character - went viral earlier in 2026 and drew significant community attention. The concept included a One Wish Willow Back Bling that matched the movie's visual style. Epic noticed. The Fortnitemares 2026 trailer is the payoff. No full item list has been confirmed beyond the One Wish Willow. Based on the trailer flash and the copyright credit, the collab goes beyond a single cosmetic - the copyright language suggests gameplay integration rather than just a skin drop. A Nikki skin is the most requested item from the community. A One Wish Willow item for use in matches - possibly functioning as a limited-time gameplay mechanic similar to previous Halloween items - fits the movie's concept. No pricing or bundle structure has surfaced yet. Every other Fortnitemares 2026 collab confirmed. The Obsession collab is one piece of a much larger Fortnitemares 2026 lineup. Based on the trailer and confirmed leaks, October 1 also brings: * Five Nights at Freddy's * Nightmare on Elm Street * The Purge * Beetlejuice * Slender Man All of these land with v42.30 on October 1. Fortnitemares 2026 is shaping up as one of the biggest Halloween updates the game has run - multiple major horror IPs arriving in a single update rather than spread across separate drops. October 1, 2026 is the date. Update v42.30 carries everything - Obsession, Five Nights at Freddy's, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Purge, Beetlejuice, and Slender Man all arrive together. No staggered release schedule has been announced. The full Fortnitemares 2026 content drop happens in one update. Full pricing, item details, and gameplay mechanics for the One Wish Willow surface once v42.30 goes live. Check the Item Shop and any new game mechanics that appear in Battle Royale on October 1. Final thoughts. Fortnite Obsession collab is confirmed for October 1 via the Fortnitemares 2026 trailer. One Wish Willow appears in the footage. Capstone Studios copyright credit locks in the partnership. Nikki skin is the community's top request. Five other horror collabs land the same day. October 1 is going to be a big update. As a graduate of journalism and a passionate Web3 advocate, Michael Hajee has been writing about crypto, NFTs, and blockchain gaming for over four years. He specializes in creating insightful articles, content strategies, and community-driven content for the NFT and GameFi space. His commitment to clear, engaging writing helps readers stay informed about the fast-evolving world of Web3. Disclaimer Chainplay is a media platform covering the latest news in cryptocurrency and NFT gaming. The opinions and analyses published on Chainplay are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research before making any decisions involving digital assets, tokens, or blockchain-based projects. All investments carry risk, and any losses incurred are solely the responsibility of the investor. Chainplay does not endorse or recommend the buying or selling of any digital assets and is not a licensed financial advisor. Please note that Chainplay may participate in affiliate marketing programs
Fortnite FNCS 2027 Trios format confirmed with three new championship cups. Key Takeaways * Fortnite FNCS 2027 brings back Trios format after over 1 million player votes at the Legends Landing island during FNCS Globals 2026. * Two Reload Championships and a new Arenas Fight Night cup join the 2027 competitive calendar. * The full FNCS 2027 roadmap and Majors schedule is not yet confirmed by Epic Games. Epic Games announced Fortnite FNCS 2027 at the FNCS Globals 2026 event in Antwerp, Belgium on September 27. Trios is back. Over 1 million players voted for the format to return through the Legends Landing UEFN island during the event. Two Reload Championships and a new Arenas Fight Night cup round out the 2027 competitive announcements. Fortnite FNCS 2027 returns to Trios format. FNCS 2026 ran in Duos format - a change from the 2025 Trios season where Swizzy, Merstach, and Queasy won the Global Championship together. For 2027, the community pushed back through the vote at FNCS Globals. Over 1 million votes landed in favor of Trios returning and Epic confirmed it on the spot. The Trios format shifts how competitive Fortnite is played at every level - from Majors qualification all the way to the Global Championship. Teams of three require different compositions and strategies than the Duos format that ran throughout 2026. Three new Championships in Fortnite FNCS 2027. Three new championship events join the 2027 competitive calendar alongside the standard Majors and Global Championship structure: * Reload Builds Championship - a competitive cup built around the Reload Builds mode * Zero Build Reload Championship - a dedicated cup for Zero Build Reload players * Arenas Fight Night - a new cup format built for boxfights fans looking for a competitive outlet The Reload Championships expand the competitive offering beyond standard Battle Royale. Zero Build Reload has built a strong community player base since its introduction - a dedicated championship gives those players a proper competitive goal to work toward. Arenas Fight Night is a new addition with no existing precedent in the FNCS structure. Boxfighting is one of the most popular skill-based formats in the Fortnite community - players practice it constantly but have had no official competitive tournament tied to it until now. The Arenas Fight Night cup gives that community a proper championship stage for the first time. No prize pool figures or qualifier format details have been released for any of the three new championship cups. Those details come in the full FNCS 2027 roadmap announcement from Epic, which has not dropped yet. When Fortnite FNCS 2027 starts. Epic has not confirmed the FNCS 2027 season start date or the Majors schedule. Fortnite Chapter 8 launches in December 2026 - the competitive season is likely to kick off alongside or shortly after the new chapter begins. Chapter launches historically reset the loot pool and map, giving pros time to adapt before Majors qualifying starts. The break between FNCS Globals 2026 ending on September 27 and the FNCS 2027 season starting gives competitive players time to form Trios rosters. Swizzy, who won FNCS 2026 Globals with Pixie in Duos, now faces the question of which two players to team up with for a potential third consecutive championship run. Team dynamics shift significantly when moving from Duos to Trios. Communication, rotation, and placement strategy all change with three players instead of two. Orgs that dominated in Duos may rebuild lineups entirely, while players who struggled in the Duos format because their strengths work better in three-person teams get a new shot at performing. Final thoughts. Fortnite FNCS 2027 runs in Trios. Over 1 million players voted it back in at FNCS Globals 2026. Two Reload Championships and the Arenas Fight Night cup expand the competitive calendar. Full schedule and Majors roadmap coming later. Chapter 8 in December sets the stage for when the season kicks off. As a graduate of journalism and a passionate Web3 advocate, Michael Hajee has been writing about crypto, NFTs, and blockchain gaming for over four years. He specializes in creating insightful articles, content strategies, and community-driven content for the NFT and GameFi space. His commitment to clear, engaging writing helps readers stay informed about the fast-evolving world of Web3. Disclaimer Chainplay is a media platform covering the latest news in cryptocurrency and NFT gaming. The opinions and analyses published on Chainplay are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research before making any decisions involving digital assets, tokens, or blockchain-based projects. All investments carry risk, and any losses incurred are solely the responsibility of the investor. Chainplay does not endorse or recommend the buying or selling of any digital assets and is not a licensed financial advisor. Please note that Chainplay may participate in affiliate marketing programs
Epic Games faces class-action lawsuit for manipulating young Fortnite players into buying V-Bucks. The Netherlands organization is demanding millions in compensation over the use of dark patterns in the popular video game. Listen to summary Epic Games has built a massive gaming empire on the success of Fortnite, but also heavy legal scrutiny. The developer is facing yet another major legal battle after a consumer advocacy group accused the company of manipulating younger players into buying "V-Bucks," the game's virtual currency, through deceptive commercial practices. The Netherlands-based association Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) has formally invited affected gamers to join a collective lawsuit against Tim Sweeney's studio. In an official statement, the group outlined its case against the hit Battle Royale title, leveling accusations strikingly similar to those that previously cost Epic Games hundreds of millions of dollars. Stichting Massaschade & Consument's name may already sound familiar to players as the consumer watchdog previously targeted PlayStation over alleged anti-consumer practices. Now, the organization has turned its sights on Epic Games, alleging that Fortnite actively misleads its younger audience through "dark patterns." According to the complaint, the studio deliberately designed the game to maximize sales of V-Bucks, the in-game currency used to buy cosmetics and character skins. SMC claims the title relies on psychological traps aimed at players under 21, leveraging relentless in-game advertising, countdown timers, and poor age-verification systems to manufacture artificial urgency and an intense fear of missing out (FOMO). The lawsuit further contends that these design mechanics expose impressionable gamers to risks associated with video game addiction and gambling behaviors. "You played Fortnite. And Fortnite played with you," the organization claimed. "Therefore, we demand a full refund of your Fortnite purchases along with financial compensation. A major video game publisher carries a heightened duty of care when young players are involved, but Epic Games did the exact opposite." In its filing, SMC demands that Epic Games immediately cease using dark patterns, strip out mechanics that foster addictive gameplay, and pay €100 million in restitution to be distributed among affected players. The organization is also seeking additional damages over allegations that Epic illegally harvested data from minors without parental consent. As the legal proceedings have just begun, no official verdict has been reached. In the meantime, impacted players in the Netherlands can register to join the class action via an online application form. In early 2023, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) penalized Epic Games after establishing that the studio used dark patterns and deceptive billing practices to trigger unauthorized microtransactions. That settlement required Epic to pay $245 million in direct consumer refunds, alongside an additional $275 million penalty for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). "Epic put children and teens at risk through its lax privacy practices, and cost consumers millions in illegal charges through its use of dark patterns," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. This new lawsuit is very similar, so it is highly likely that Epic Games will have to pay up a substantial amount of money as a penalty. Comentarios. Inicia sesión desde el menú superior para dejar un comentario. Sé el primero en comentar.