Amid the massive wave of layoffs at Epic Games, an artist who created some of the most iconic faces in Fortnite was also affected. Neither he nor his industry colleagues can hardly believe it.
Which artist is being talked about? Character Artist Vitaliy Naymushin worked at Epic Games for over 11 years, where he worked on the foundational elements of Fortnite’s well-known art style since 2015 and was responsible for the character design of some of the most iconic characters. Naymushin was, for example, the artist who brought the classic “male soldier” model Jonesy to life, as he shows in his ArtStation portfolio.
However, Epic Games announced yesterday, on March 24, 2026, that it laid off over 1,000 employees, just under 2 weeks after Epic Games increased the prices of V-Bucks for Fortnite. The reason: Fortnite’s operating costs have risen significantly, as the €15.5 billion company reports on Fortnite.com.
Among these 1,000 layoffs was also the surprised artist, who is now looking for new work after 11 years at Epic Games and over 20 years of experience in the industry.
“Fortnite only looks like Fortnite because of you”
What does the artist say about his layoff? The reaction shows that the artist, who was even employed as a Character Art Director, was completely surprised by this news. In a post on his LinkedIn account, he puts his feelings into words:
Well, this is weird. After 11 years, I find out that I am no longer working at Epic. It has been a wild journey, with many ups and downs. To see Fortnite from pre-launch to today and to have been a part of it has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I see many similar posts and hope that all those affected by the layoffs get back on their feet soon.
Good luck to all who have stayed at Epic.
I am now open to new career opportunities.
How do other Epic developers react to this news? Many more employees at Epic express their regret about this situation. They know that Epic has given up a legend through this action and that he was a huge influence on the game’s appearance and appeal.
“Fortnite only looks like Fortnite because of you,” writes Ben Eoff, Art Director at Epic Games, “You are one of the best there ever was – and that won’t change with this.”
Another artist affected by the wave of layoffs, Lead Concept Artist T. J. Geisen, writes: “You are irreplaceable. It was shocking enough when I and other colleagues were laid off. But when I heard that you also had to go, it became very clear to me that some serious mistakes were made today. I’m here if you want to talk. It would be an honor and a pleasure to work with you again sometime.”
The 1,000 layoffs at Epic Games were not the first wave that the company has gone through. Already in September 2023, over 800 employees were fired, and the timing was almost as … unfortunate as it was in 2026: Steam rival Epic fires 830 employees, sells a money rain in Fortnite on the same day
