Epic is declaring an event for the shooter Fortnite starting next week, aiming to specifically support YouTubers, streamers, cosplay artists, and others. Fans can do something good for them by spending money in Fortnite.
What is this event about? The event is called “Support a Creator.”
It begins with the update next week, so Tuesday or Wednesday, and lasts until December 31, 2018. Unlike previous Fortnite events like Showdown or Getaway, it is not a “gameplay” event, but one in the background.
New Button in Shop “Support a Creator”
How does it work? In the “Save the World” and “Battle Royale” shops, there will be a new button called “Support a Creator.” There, players can enter the Epic tag of a creator they want to support in the future.
The selection remains active for 14 days and can then be redistributed or extended.
When players purchase V-Bucks in the shop, the creator receives a share of the spending.
How much do the creators get? Players are supposed to receive $5 or the equivalent once 10,000 V-Bucks have accumulated. 10,000 V-Bucks are worth about $100 (a little less with bonus discounts).
The share for players is therefore roughly 5%.
Epic has already mentioned that the creators should expect “modest results” here. But at least the money comes from Epic – they deduct it from their share. Players incur no additional costs.
Who is a creator? A creator is anyone who has created “regular content” for Fortnite in the last 30 days – and they need at least 1,000 followers on a “major social platform.” This includes YouTubers, streamers, cosplayers, and other artists.
Anyone who is a creator and wants to apply for the program can register with Epic here.
It can be assumed that content creators will then ask their community to register them in this field.
What is the idea behind it?
- For players, it can be an incentive to purchase the next skin “in good conscience” and feel better knowing their favorite artist earns a little.
- For Epic, it’s a way to support creators and strengthen their bond with Fortnite.
- And for creators, it’s a chance to earn “extra” money – although most likely they have their own channels to collect donations. On Twitch, huge sums can be collected.
This is not new. This is an “affiliate” program that often operates behind the scenes. If someone buys something through an “affiliate” link, the one who referred it receives a small commission. The MMORPG Ashes of Creation uses this quite offensively to encourage YouTubers to draw attention to the game within their community.
Other games like ARK Survival Evolved have developed a large “mod support” program. In ARK Survival Evolved, it involves large sums in the five-digit range for modders.
Some YouTubers are indeed calling for more support from Fortnite:
