Epic Games has been removing popular community-created maps in Fortnite, like the remake of the map Rust from Call of Duty, because of copyright issues.
Similar to Roblox, Fortnite recently got a powerful new editor that makes it possible to not only build different maps but entirely new games and experiences within Fortnite called the Unreal Editor for Fortnite. After the launch of the new editor, Epic Games published a blog post detailing what kinds of content the company would allow to be created and monetized via the new editor.
The big takeaway from the post comes down to the fact that nobody is allowed to use the editor to mess with copyrighted content without permission. This means you can’t create, publish, or monetize anything copyrighted with the Fortnite editor. So, for example, if you wanted to recreate a famous map from another game in the editor, you’re out of luck.
This brings us to the current situation where Epic Games has been taking down community-created maps that involve or include copyrighted material. One of the most popular custom Fortnite maps, Rust from the Call of Duty franchise, has been taken down for this reason. That’s not the only map that’s gone; other Call of Duty maps, as well as maps from other games, are reportedly being taken down as well.
It’s unclear if Activision has been directly involved with these Fortnite maps being taken down or if Epic Games simply did so preemptively in order to avoid future legal issues, but either way, Epic Games has remained pretty consistent about what the company wants people to do within the Fortnite editor. If you make copyrighted content using the editor, Epic Games may not just take your work down, but you could even risk being banned.
For creators and gamers just looking for something new to do in Fortnite, this isn’t great news; however, Epic Games doesn’t seem to be budging.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
