Game News Tim Sweeney, the man behind Fortnite
Published on 05/29/2022 at 12:00
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years, you must have heard of Fortnite. It’s simple, it’s the biggest video game success in history. But do you know the man behind it? This is what we invite you to discover in this JV LEGENDS.
Having the right equipment…
Tim Sweeney is a child who grew up in the 70s and 80s, under the aegis of arcade terminals and video games of the time. He quickly developed an interest in programming from the age of 9. Suffice to say that his future was already mapped out. After making a few successful games like ZZT, Tim Sweeney founded Epic Mega Games in 1991. The studio quickly made a name for itself and released 3 games in three years: Jill of the Jungle, Jazz Jackrabbit and Epic Pinball. With these successful titles, the firm is easily profitable, but Sweeney does not want to stop there. With the help of Digital Extremes, Epic Mega Games developed its own 3D engine in 1995, the Unreal Engine, inspired by the Doom engine. Even today, it is the basis of many AAA productions, all thanks to Tim’s ambition. At the time, there was nothing more powerful and efficient on the market. The engine is a total box, and Epic is at the top of the biggest development studios in the world, to the point that the Unreal Engine has become a “Must Have” in industry. With unparalleled mastery of their engine and excessive ambition, Epic is embarking on the production of a new license: Gears of War. Once once more, success is at the rendezvous. But hey… You’re starting to know the catchphrase: no question of stopping there!
…before making Top 1
In 2017, Epic released a small game that you have certainly heard of: Fortnite. Whether you’re a fan or not, the title has become a real industry juggernaut with more than 350 million players worldwide and generating billions in profit. And yet, the title almost never saw the light of day. Rod Fergusson, production manager of Epic Games, did everything to stop the development of Fortnite, because the project did not please him. At the same time, the basic concept was not at all the same as today. When it was released, the game was called Fortnite: Save the World. This is a cooperative building and survival game. The problem is that the game was a critical failure upon release. However, Tim Sweeney is a man very aware of trends in the industry. What was a hit at the time were the Battle Royals, with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds et Z1 Battle. This is why he and his teams transform their game into Battle Royal Free to Play, two months later. The strengths of the title are the cross-platform and its cartoon aspect for all audiences. The number of players is growing exponentially, and the studio knows how to constantly renew its offer with new products each season, but also concerts and cultural events. Today, Fortnite is no longer a game, but a real social phenomenon.
