Fortnite creators use young women in ads without clarifying roles

Kotaku reports that some popular Fortnite custom-content creators and studios are featuring young women in promotional videos without making clear whether those women actually built the maps they are advertising, a practice that has frustrated female creators trying to gain visibility.

User-generated content is a growing part of Fortnite, with some maps drawing tens of thousands of players and creators able to earn substantial income under Epic’s playtime-based payment system. According to a GamesBeat report, that money has encouraged tactics that blur who is actually behind new content.

GamesBeat highlighted Pandvil, saying social posts give the impression the creator is a woman while three people told GamesBeat the woman seen in many videos is a studio social media manager rather than the developer. The outlet also named Team Hive and UNC Creative as studios that often post videos featuring women who are not the map creators, though GamesBeat noted Hive employs women on its social and marketing team, and other female island creators told GamesBeat they worry the approach could cost them media coverage, brand deals and players.

Key Topics

Culture, Fortnite, Epic, Pandvil, Team Hive, Unc Creative