American gaming company Epic Games has embarked on a renewed push into the Korean market, leading with its flagship title 'Fortnite.' The strategy encompasses active collaborations with Korean cultural content such as K-pop, Son Heung-min, and LEGO, while also expanding domestic distribution channels including Nexon PC rooms and ONE store, and supporting the creator ecosystem based in Seoul. Fortnite, an online multiplayer game released in 2017 by Epic Games, the developer of the 3D game engine 'Unreal Engine,' has surpassed 500 million global cumulative accounts and continues to achieve worldwide success. However, it has had a limited presence in Korea due to platform constraints and cultural differences.
Epic Games Korea held a press conference on the 11th at Andaz Seoul in Gangnam, where it announced a K-content-centered expansion strategy alongside content featuring Son Heung-min, BTS members Jungkook and Jimin, two new games, and support for the creator ecosystem. Park Sung-cheol, representative of Epic Games Korea, said, "When we first launched in Korea in 2018, there were movies in theaters but no audience, cars on the road but no one to drive them," adding, "This expansion launch is a genuine restart reflecting user feedback and the cultural context after more than a year of preparation." He continued, "Fortnite is evolving into an ecosystem where developers, creators, brands, and players collaboratively create content."
The key is 'integration with K-culture.' On the 21st, a 'Son Heung-min bundle' based on the player will be released in the game store. The bundle includes Son Heung-min's official uniform, the accessory 'Forward Edge' that changes style according to time, the 'Goal Getter' wrapping sheet with a soccer concept, and the 'Snap Ceremony' emote, which recreates the selfie ceremony, all available for limited sale until the 28th.
Music content has also been enhanced. Songs from popular domestic artists, including BTS member Jungkook's 'Seven,' Jimin's 'Hoo,' ENHYPEN's 'No Doubt,' and ILLIT's 'Magnetic,' have been added as rhythm game content 'Jam Track' for the 'Fortnite Festival.' Users can play these songs or remix them to play with other users. Eric Williamson, senior design director at Epic Games, noted, "K-pop is a powerful cultural asset that connects global fandoms," adding, "Fortnite is evolving into a digital cultural hub that integrates music, fashion, and sports, and K-content serves as both an experimental field and catalyst for this ecosystem."
The intrinsic fun of the game has also been enhanced. The newly unveiled title 'Ballistic' is a 5v5 tactical FPS (first-person shooter) with a round-based structure that proceeds without respawning. It encourages strategic team play using classic weapons such as assault rifles, sniper rifles, and shotguns. Michael Ma, senior director of global partnerships at Epic Games, said, "Ballistic is the first FPS content made with Fortnite's development tool, UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite)," adding that it is significant because anyone, including developers and creators, can utilize this tool to create their own FPS games.
Another new title, 'LEGO Fortnite Brick Life,' is a social role-playing game that allows up to 52 players to play simultaneously. Users can enjoy a highly flexible daily content experience, such as choosing jobs, building houses, and making friends in a virtual city. Michael, the director, stated, "LEGO is a brand particularly favored by Korean users," explaining, "Brick Life is optimal content for user groups seeking a more creative and casual experience."
Improvements in accessibility and distribution channels are also being pursued. As of today, Fortnite has entered ONE store, allowing Android users to download it easily without a separate APK. Through a partnership with Nexon, users at Nexon PC rooms nationwide can use a costume set commemorating the expanded launch for free until July 31, and a 'Colorful Skirt Kite Glider' inspired by traditional Korean kites will also be provided until September 15. After that, PC room-exclusive items will be added every month.
Support for the domestic creator ecosystem is also one of the main strategies. At the press conference, a new Fortnite island titled 'Squad: Team Deathmatch' and 'Sea: One shot,' produced by Seoul-based UGC (user-generated content) developer Versework, was unveiled. A 'Korean Creator Exclusive Section' has also been established on the Fortnite Discover screen. Michael, the director, stated, "UEFN is not just a development tool but a platform that enables anyone to create games," emphasizing that "Korea is a market with high creator infrastructure and development potential, and cases like Versework can establish themselves as global success models."
According to Epic Games, the cumulative playtime of UEFN-based content has surpassed 11.2 billion hours as of 2023, and the total rewards paid to creators over the past year reached $352 million (approximately 482.1 billion won). From the 27th, content production using the official IP (intellectual property) of 'Squid Game' will also be permitted.
Park, the representative, stated, "Korea is one of the countries with a particularly high proportion of developers based on Unreal Engine," adding, "In the future, Fortnite will become a global hub that rapidly embraces K-culture and disseminates it worldwide."