Fortnite to Permanently Remove Three Major Modes Amid Cost-Cutting Measures

As part of a company-wide restructuring announced by Epic Games to curb expenses, which also includes a substantial reduction in workforce, the company has revealed its intention to permanently discontinue three major Fortnite game modes.

Epic Games recently announced mass layoffs affecting over 1000 employees. This decision is part of a comprehensive effort to cut costs, as the company's financial situation appears to have been significantly impacted by current market conditions and a general decline in interest for Fortnite.

Consequently, this restructuring not only affects Epic Games' personnel but also extends to the organization of Fortnite itself.

Fortnite's Metaverse Vision Scales Back

In line with a general review of resources and content maintenance for Fortnite, the following ancillary modes will be eliminated:

• Ballistic
• Festival Battle Stage
• Rocket Racing

These modes represent some of the primary secondary activities in Fortnite, which had previously driven the original game's expansion towards the "metaverse" vision, as presented by Epic Games several years ago.

Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage are scheduled to close on April 16, while Rocket Racing will be deactivated in October, giving players a few more months to enjoy this option.

It is evident that Epic Games is undertaking a significant downsizing of its flagship creation, the platform-game that dominated the scene for years and allowed the company to achieve impressive results.

However, it's also true that these are secondary modes that do not impact Fortnite's core experience, which Epic Games still intends to invest in, albeit with a general reorganization of its workflow.

Rocket Racing was an arcade-style battle racing game that drew elements from Rocket League, a title that became part of Epic's portfolio after the acquisition of Psyonix.

Festival Battle Stage is a music-based rhythm game battle, linked to the Fortnite Festival platform, which has hosted various special collaborations with notable musical artists in the past.

Fortnite Ballistic, introduced in late 2024, was a "tactical" version of the shooter aimed at replicating a Counter-Strike-like experience, but it never managed to attract a large community.