Epic Games announces that Fortnite is now running on the Unreal Engine 5 graphics engine.
After using Unreal Engine 4 since the launch of Battle Royale in 2017, Epic Games has finally passed Fortnite to the graphics engine Unreal Engine 5. This change comes alongside the arrival of Chapter 3, Flipped, which introduces several massive changes to the game’s island.
While Epic Games promised in 2020 to migrate Fortnite to Unreal Engine 5 in 2021, many have speculated that COVID-19 had forced the American studio to push back its schedule, but it was simply waiting for the good bad to do things according to the rules of the art.
With the arrival of Chapter 3, @FortniteGame development has flipped to Unreal Engine 5.
We’re excited to share this journey with you and are working to make this the best experience possible for the entire Fortnite community.
— Unreal Engine (@UnrealEngine) December 7, 2021
The all-new chapter of Fortnite brings new additions and innovative mechanics that completely change the way you play successful Battle Royale. Epic Games introduced first-person mode to Fortnite for the very first time, allowing the use of the camera while aiming down with one of Chapter 3’s new weapons, which could potentially be improved in the future.
Additionally, mobility maneuvers that allow players to slide for speed and avoid enemy fire, as well as the ability to traverse the new map with Spider-Man’s web launchers, have been added.
Fortnite, the first effects of Unreal Engine 5
Epic Games showed off new weather and environmental effects via the Fortnite Chapter 3 trailer, with the addition of lightning and tornadoes that can draw players in. However, only tree trunk destruction appears to have made its way into the chapter at this time, with the others likely to appear in future seasons now that the title is running on Unreal Engine 5.