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It’s OnlyUp for the Creator of One of Fortnite’s Most Successful UEFN Islands
The Fortnite Team
In our Creator Spotlight series, we share the stories of how creators successfully marketed their UEFN islands, to inspire the community to build and promote their own.
How do you build an island the community will love? Reimagine a gameplay experience they already know, in a way that only Fortnite can deliver. OnlyUp players soared to new heights and raced to the top in this popular Fortnite UEFN island created by the team over at Army.
We spoke with Army, who has been making Fortnite islands since 2019, to learn how their understanding of gaming trends and the culture of the gaming community at large fueled the marketing and publishing of this elevated UEFN island.
“I've always been a fan of deathrun maps, so I initially focused on creating those. However, I wanted to try something different, leading to the development of OnlyUp, where the challenge isn't about avoiding elimination but rather about not falling and having to restart from the beginning.”
This choice ensured that players would continue to push themselves until they achieved the goal of rising to the top. Nostalgia also fueled the first iteration of the island, which “incorporates iconic [Fortnite Battle Royale] locations like Tilted Towers, Junk Junction, and Retail Row, allowing players to ascend through all the Seasons of Chapter 1.”
Army created a gameplay trailer for their island, highlighting the best map features, showcasing recognizable Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 1 locations, and demonstrating the mechanics of the gameplay itself. The trailer gave fans a breathtaking taste of the game before they jumped in, acting as a great marketing tool for building their audience.
In addition to their island trailer, Army created a thumbnail that showcases the epic scale of their game, and inspires players to choose this game next.
“Influencers played a significant role in the success of OnlyUp Fortnite. Many of them created content around the map without any outreach from us, which sparked a trend of creators on TikTok and YouTube trying to reach the top as quickly as possible. One of our biggest achievements was reaching over 110,000 concurrent players in July [2023], a first for any UEFN map.
“We were absolutely blown away. Influencers and Discover were both crucial in achieving this milestone.”
As their island increased in popularity, they connected with the influencers who had streamed the game already to alert them of updates and changes to the game for them to try.
When asked what guidance they would give to aspiring creators, Army says, “My advice is to invest time in your map's development.” In total, they spent over 150 hours on the island’s development.
“If you release something that feels incomplete, you won't retain players in the long run. Maps that attract players initially but lack depth tend to fade quickly. Always prioritize quality over quantity.”
Play the OnlyUp experience using island code 4366-9611-6988, or by searching for “Only Up” in Discover. And check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to successfully market your UEFN islands!
How do you build an island the community will love? Reimagine a gameplay experience they already know, in a way that only Fortnite can deliver. OnlyUp players soared to new heights and raced to the top in this popular Fortnite UEFN island created by the team over at Army.
We spoke with Army, who has been making Fortnite islands since 2019, to learn how their understanding of gaming trends and the culture of the gaming community at large fueled the marketing and publishing of this elevated UEFN island.
“I've always been a fan of deathrun maps, so I initially focused on creating those. However, I wanted to try something different, leading to the development of OnlyUp, where the challenge isn't about avoiding elimination but rather about not falling and having to restart from the beginning.”
This choice ensured that players would continue to push themselves until they achieved the goal of rising to the top. Nostalgia also fueled the first iteration of the island, which “incorporates iconic [Fortnite Battle Royale] locations like Tilted Towers, Junk Junction, and Retail Row, allowing players to ascend through all the Seasons of Chapter 1.”
Army created a gameplay trailer for their island, highlighting the best map features, showcasing recognizable Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 1 locations, and demonstrating the mechanics of the gameplay itself. The trailer gave fans a breathtaking taste of the game before they jumped in, acting as a great marketing tool for building their audience.
How Army Brought Players to Their Island
- They utilized Matchmaking Portals to promote OnlyUp. This created a touchpoint for new players outside of Discover and Army’s creator profile.
- They created a captivating thumbnail that showcases the unique features of the island, to draw attention on Discover.
- They created an island name that is memorable and that quickly communicates the goals and experience of the game.
In addition to their island trailer, Army created a thumbnail that showcases the epic scale of their game, and inspires players to choose this game next.
“Influencers played a significant role in the success of OnlyUp Fortnite. Many of them created content around the map without any outreach from us, which sparked a trend of creators on TikTok and YouTube trying to reach the top as quickly as possible. One of our biggest achievements was reaching over 110,000 concurrent players in July [2023], a first for any UEFN map.
“We were absolutely blown away. Influencers and Discover were both crucial in achieving this milestone.”
As their island increased in popularity, they connected with the influencers who had streamed the game already to alert them of updates and changes to the game for them to try.
When asked what guidance they would give to aspiring creators, Army says, “My advice is to invest time in your map's development.” In total, they spent over 150 hours on the island’s development.
“If you release something that feels incomplete, you won't retain players in the long run. Maps that attract players initially but lack depth tend to fade quickly. Always prioritize quality over quantity.”
How to Keep Your Island Successful
- Adjust and change your island over time to keep players interested. By creating a repeatable formula (e.g. sequential chapters that release on the same cadence), you encourage players to come back and check in on the changes over time.
- Reach out to influencers and players who post about your island on social media.
- Learn from your failures — test and adjust your strategy over time.
Play the OnlyUp experience using island code 4366-9611-6988, or by searching for “Only Up” in Discover. And check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to successfully market your UEFN islands!