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Fortnite Discover: Your Questions Answered
The Fortnite Team
(Updated August 13, 2024) If you’re a Fortnite creator, you’re probably familiar with Discover. It’s the surface that millions of Fortnite players browse when they’re looking for Epic and creator-built islands to play.
We want to continue being transparent and share context on how islands are selected and why some islands get more exposure than others. We also want to offer guidance on the metrics you should focus on for a better chance at exposure.
As a result of this, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of new and updated games receiving 50,000 impressions within their first week post-publish.
New and updated islands are shown to players across various rows in Discover. Based on an island's engagement with different audiences during these tests, it may qualify for other spaces in Discover and Browse. We recognize not all content will appeal to a mass market, so we continue to support niche audiences and content.
As we expand the role of Recommendations within Discover, we will experiment with different models and configurations. We have found that Recommendations are a great way to give more islands an opportunity for success in Discover and support the formation of smaller genres and niches. Multiple models are at work that recommend games based on similar players’ engagement and overall play history. Note that content shown in the Recommendations row do not display on third-party websites.
As we update Discover, Epic's Picks will also undergo improvements over the coming months.
Broadly speaking, we look to highlight content across a wide spectrum of genres in the Homebar.
The “Trending in Discover” row which features popular UGC experiences labeled as “Trending” is new and still experimental. We know players love viral moments, and we’re looking for opportunities to promote games with promising algorithmic signals to a wider audience for a short period of time. The goal is to make it easier for great games to break through to the Fortnite audience.
Duplicating a project immediately before publishing is not supported and may lead to your island being detected as spam. However, reusing the same code across projects is not considered spam.
We also want to give you more tools to attract an audience from off-platform sources (like social media) and connect with your existing audience. We plan to allow you to add links to social media from your island and encourage players to follow you via your creator page.
Finally, we’re committed to improving core functionality — such as content recommendations and the overall look and feel of Discover — making it easier for players to find and navigate to your content.
Sharing your island on social media and encouraging players to search for your island or your creator name in Fortnite can also be effective. Check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to effectively market your islands to players.
We don’t give extra weight or preference to any particular island or creator—every row besides Epic’s Picks and By Epic operates as a blind algorithmic row, considering all published content that meets certain criteria.
We’re continuously monitoring and assessing the rise of new genres and working to ensure there are rows in Discover built to capture those moments. We’re also investing heavily in Recommendations, which we have found to be a great way to give more islands an opportunity for success in Discover and support the formation of smaller genres and niches.
Want a peek at the features coming down the pipe? Check out the public roadmap.
The hierarchy of Discover rows is influenced by the performance of content within the ecosystem. Occasionally, we place rows higher for a brief period before adjusting their placement lower in Discover.
Additionally, we want to expand our Combat and Shooter genres:
We’re focusing on giving these genres more exposure in Discover as they have significant overlap with our current player base and position Fortnite as a hub for all types of gameplay, not just battle royale.
Keep an eye out for Callouts as we highlight great islands built in these various genres by you!
Unique: Epic’s Picks specifically looks for unique content. Across the ecosystem, we feature games and genres that push the limits of UEFN and Creative tools.
Engaging: Unique experiences are often highly engaging. Games with high minutes per user and CCUs are likely to be featured. For newer games, given the limited data available, we look at the conversion of impressions to players and engagement as a signal.
Retentive: Not all games are designed to be hour-long experiences, and that’s okay. We also consider your retention day over day. The common theme, above all, is a fun experience people want to keep playing.
We hope these answers have provided some insight into Discover and given you a few ideas on areas to focus on for your own islands. Stay tuned for more updates that will make finding games and experiences inside Fortnite even easier.
We want to continue being transparent and share context on how islands are selected and why some islands get more exposure than others. We also want to offer guidance on the metrics you should focus on for a better chance at exposure.
Question & Answers
Q: What is the goal of Discover?
We have three main goals for Discover.- Increase visibility for innovative islands
As a result of this, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of new and updated games receiving 50,000 impressions within their first week post-publish.
- Match islands with the right audience
- Unique: Islands pushing the limits of UEFN and Creative tools.
- Engaging: Games that players enjoy and stick around for.
- Retentive: Experiences players want to return to.
- Satisfying: How players rate your island after they’ve played it.
New and updated islands are shown to players across various rows in Discover. Based on an island's engagement with different audiences during these tests, it may qualify for other spaces in Discover and Browse. We recognize not all content will appeal to a mass market, so we continue to support niche audiences and content.
- Personalize the Discover Experience
As we expand the role of Recommendations within Discover, we will experiment with different models and configurations. We have found that Recommendations are a great way to give more islands an opportunity for success in Discover and support the formation of smaller genres and niches. Multiple models are at work that recommend games based on similar players’ engagement and overall play history. Note that content shown in the Recommendations row do not display on third-party websites.
Q: How are islands selected for Epic’s Picks?
Epic’s Picks is a row that showcases fun, innovative islands. We select unique islands that experiment with new gameplay, feature unique environments, or put a fresh twist on existing genres. We provide an open application process and apply the same standards across all genre types.As we update Discover, Epic's Picks will also undergo improvements over the coming months.
Q: How is the Homebar populated?
The Homebar surfaces a wide variety of content, including:- Your currently selected Lobby
- Your recently played islands
- Epic content
- Popular UGC experiences labeled as “Trending”
- Popular “Epic’s Picks” content
- Personalized recommendations
- Islands populated from algorithmic rows in Discover
Broadly speaking, we look to highlight content across a wide spectrum of genres in the Homebar.
The “Trending in Discover” row which features popular UGC experiences labeled as “Trending” is new and still experimental. We know players love viral moments, and we’re looking for opportunities to promote games with promising algorithmic signals to a wider audience for a short period of time. The goal is to make it easier for great games to break through to the Fortnite audience.
Q: If I publish a deactivated island to obtain an island code, and proceed to spend six months working on a project before activating, does Discover see it as a brand new island?
Discover looks at the number of days an island is eligible. We define eligible as being published, listed, and publicly available to play. In this case, your island would qualify for new rows in Discover as long as it wasn't eligible for too many days before being deactivated.Duplicating a project immediately before publishing is not supported and may lead to your island being detected as spam. However, reusing the same code across projects is not considered spam.
Q: What are the biggest areas you want to improve in the future?
We’re always working to improve all of our creator products, including Discover and Creator Analytics in Creator Portal. Our goal is to continue enhancing Creator Analytics in the coming year, enabling you to better understand what drives the success of your islands and identify areas needing improvement.We also want to give you more tools to attract an audience from off-platform sources (like social media) and connect with your existing audience. We plan to allow you to add links to social media from your island and encourage players to follow you via your creator page.
Finally, we’re committed to improving core functionality — such as content recommendations and the overall look and feel of Discover — making it easier for players to find and navigate to your content.
Q: Am I penalized for my success as a creator for having many successful maps? Do you favor new creators?
We don’t favor new creators over existing ones—that’s not a metric we consider in Discover. We do have checks in place to detect creators who are spamming the system with duplicate islands. We have removed creator spacing, the system that prevents creators from being featured back-to-back, from all rows in Discover.Q: Does not seeing my island in Discover mean I’ve been “shadowbanned”?
Discover doesn’t shadowban creators or islands. Individual rows evaluate a given island’s metrics over a recent period to determine what gets shown to players. Discover tries to prioritize giving impressions to islands that have been algorithmically identified as innovative. Games are identified as innovative based on content, Verse code, and devices being used in novel ways.Q: What can I do to help my island surface in Discover?
If you’re struggling to get exposure in Discover, keep iterating on and updating your project to create a more engaging and fun experience for your players. Leverage the analytics provided in Creator Portal, which will show you how players are seeing, clicking on, and engaging with your island.Sharing your island on social media and encouraging players to search for your island or your creator name in Fortnite can also be effective. Check out the Creator Marketing Playbook for more tips on how to effectively market your islands to players.
Q: Why are certain islands significantly featured in Discover?
Many top islands have exceptional metrics and dedicated fan bases that enable them to retain their spots in Discover for an extended period of time. These metrics include minutes per user, player retention, and player attraction.We don’t give extra weight or preference to any particular island or creator—every row besides Epic’s Picks and By Epic operates as a blind algorithmic row, considering all published content that meets certain criteria.
Q: It seems like the same genres get repeated all the time. How does Epic encourage creators to make innovative experiences?
We want to show content that players enjoy while also making Discover an environment that rewards innovation. It’s a balance we are constantly working on—serving players’ needs while ensuring we can test boundary-pushing content.We’re continuously monitoring and assessing the rise of new genres and working to ensure there are rows in Discover built to capture those moments. We’re also investing heavily in Recommendations, which we have found to be a great way to give more islands an opportunity for success in Discover and support the formation of smaller genres and niches.
Q: As a creator, it’s difficult to engage with my audience and build a brand in Discover. Is Epic working on building tools focused around creators?
Yes, we are. We have several planned initiatives aimed at addressing this, including (but not limited to):- A device that enables you to link to your social handles
- A follow feature that enables players to follow you on Fortnite
- Continued updates to Creator Analytics
Want a peek at the features coming down the pipe? Check out the public roadmap.
Q: There are so many rows in Discover. What are their different purposes?
We’ve designed a content showcase that allows games to be seen at various stages of their lifecycle, from initial publication to long-term updates. Different rows focus on different player metrics based on the row’s objective. The main categories and their objectives are:- “New” rows: Ensuring as many islands get a chance at meaningful impressions as possible.
- “Updated” rows: Giving impressions to islands that have been updated, allowing them to be re-ranked in Discover based on improvements made.
- “Community momentum” row: Rewarding content that drives new and returning players to Fortnite.
- “Trending” rows (Up & Coming, Gaining Traction, Trending): Capturing experiences with swift growth, many of which have gone through the initial New and Updated rows.
- “Popular” rows: Showcasing the most played content in the ecosystem.
- Genre-based rows: Highlighting outstanding performers in each genre.
- Recommended rows: Surfacing islands to players based on their play history and the play history of similar players in the ecosystem.
- Browse tab: Showcasing a wider range of content and enabling players to find particular experiences.
The hierarchy of Discover rows is influenced by the performance of content within the ecosystem. Occasionally, we place rows higher for a brief period before adjusting their placement lower in Discover.
Q: How does search impact placement in Discover?
Search only directly influences a few specific rows in Discover (like Most Searched). However, search can be powerful for directing players to your island, which can boost your engagement metrics and pull the island into various engagement-based rows.Q: What types of content does Epic like to see in Discover?
We're loving all the diverse content that creators are making. In particular, we’re excited about growing our social genres, such as:- RPGs and ARPGs
- Adventure, Exploration
- Simulation
Additionally, we want to expand our Combat and Shooter genres:
- Objective team-based game types like Domination, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill
- High-lethality game types like Tactical Shooters or Search and Destroy
- Class-based games
We’re focusing on giving these genres more exposure in Discover as they have significant overlap with our current player base and position Fortnite as a hub for all types of gameplay, not just battle royale.
Keep an eye out for Callouts as we highlight great islands built in these various genres by you!
Q: As I think about what experiences to start building, what metric should I focus on to give myself a better chance of being featured in Discover?
There is no single metric that guarantees a feature in Discover. However, we aim to enable players to have a personalized experience. The following qualities make your island stand out:- Unique
- Engaging
- Retentive
Unique: Epic’s Picks specifically looks for unique content. Across the ecosystem, we feature games and genres that push the limits of UEFN and Creative tools.
Engaging: Unique experiences are often highly engaging. Games with high minutes per user and CCUs are likely to be featured. For newer games, given the limited data available, we look at the conversion of impressions to players and engagement as a signal.
Retentive: Not all games are designed to be hour-long experiences, and that’s okay. We also consider your retention day over day. The common theme, above all, is a fun experience people want to keep playing.
We hope these answers have provided some insight into Discover and given you a few ideas on areas to focus on for your own islands. Stay tuned for more updates that will make finding games and experiences inside Fortnite even easier.