Three of the UEFN game modes Epic Games developed for Fortnite will be sunsetted and go offline as a result of the mass layoff Epic's chief executive officer Tim Sweeney announced this morning, which saw over 1,000 Epic employees lose their jobs.
Two of the three modes will be going offline sooner than later, with Fortnite Ballistic, the first-person 5v5 tactical shooter that initially launched in 2024 and Fortnite Festival Battle Stage - not the whole of Fortnite Festival, just the Battle Stage mode - both going offline next month, on April 16, 2026.
Rocket Racing, the UEFN mode that was one of the first experiences added to the game when Epic launched its islands alongside the main Fortnite Festival, will stick around a little longer, and won't go offline until later this year at some point in October 2026.
That said, beginning as early as next week, "quests will no longer be available, and the current track creation template will be removed from UEFN." You'll get to keep your vehicles though, and you'll still be able to customize your cars in the main game.
On top of the layoffs, the reasoning for these modes getting shuttered, according to Epic, comes down to its failure "to build something awesome enough to attract and retain a large player base."
It's also worth noting that while these game modes are being removed, players will still be able to create their own experiences within Fortnite like them using UEFN tools. You'll still be able to make FPS games in UEFN as the tools aren't going away, and though Rocket Racing's track creation template is being removed, next month the company will add "car physics, hazards, and track-building tools (including the Track Spline tool and Speed Boost devices) to the base UEFN toolset. Developers will also be able to build custom racing islands with jumps, boosts, and drifting."
The company also adds that before Rocket Racing is taken offline in October, developers will have the chance "to move compatible Rocket Racing content over to standalone UEFN islands." Meanwhile, with regard to Fortnite Festival, Epic says "music remains a major part of Fortnite and we'll continue to improve Festival Main Stage and Jam Stage, and the music features that are available everywhere in Fortnite."
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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