Epic Games is going to allow Fortnite creators to make AI-powered NPCs that work similar to the recently-launched AI Darth Vader. The company showed off the tech at its State of Unreal show on Tuesday.
Using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), creators can make characters with personalities that they can voice chat with. Creators will be able to set the type of voice, their delivery, and the AI NPC’s characteristics when the feature is available later this year.
In a live demo shown onstage at the event, two Epic staffers showed a conversation with an AI character, “Mr. Buttons,” whose sole purpose was to try and get the player to press a big red button in the room. For example, one Epic staffer asked a question about the screens in the room saying not to press the button, and the AI wanted the player to push the rules and press the button.
In May, Epic added a Darth Vader NPC to Fortnite that could speak to players using an AI-powered version of James Earl Jones’ voice. Jones’ estate approved of the use of his voice. However, Epic had to issue a hotfix after players got the AI Darth Vader to swear.
The AI NPCs aren’t the only AI-focused news for Fortnite creators. Epic is also beta testing the Epic Developer Assistant, an AI chatbot that can help UEFN creators write code in UEFN’s Verse programming language. The beta test is live today.
Epic also announced that new franchises will be available for UEFN creators to make experiences with. Squid Game assets will be available starting June 27th — the same day as the premiere of the show’s third and final season — and creators will be able to publish Squid Game experiences later this summer. Avatar: The Last Airbender, which appeared in Fortnite last year, will be available for creators to build with in 2026. Star Wars assets will be available at some point in the future.
And on June 17th, creators will also be able to build LEGO experiences brick by brick, which should allow for more customizable LEGO experiences.
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