Here’s what LEGO Fortnite monetization could look like

Rumours are rumbling about potential future monetisation options for LEGO Fortnite and there’s already a possible roadmap for how it could work.

Epic Games has proved that LEGO Fortnite is not going to be limited to a single map, launching two new modes on February 27. Although map customisation is still limited to Epic Games itself for now, but rumours are swirling about how new custom maps could be monetizable. Reliable Fortnite news account ShiinaBR tweeted that users would need to ‘review the terms and conditions and understand the revenue rules’ to publish a LEGO Fortnite island, suggesting there’s money to be made from creating and sharing original maps.

For long-time Fortnite fans, this is nothing new. Epic Games already rewards popular maps with engagement payouts, based on metrics that ‘contribute to the health of the overall Fortnite ecosystem’. These metrics include player popularity (attracting new players and re-engaging old players) and retention (islands with high levels of returning players day-to-day and week-to-week).

Presumably, a similar system would be in place – although that’s far from guaranteed. With ShiinaBR stating specifically that people should review those revenue rules, it could be that a different system entirely would come into place.

How much can Fortnite map developers earn?

That said, understanding how Fortnite map creators currently earn money could go some way to understanding future monetization options for LEGO Fortnite. Generally speaking, people seem to be able to earn roughly $10 per 1,000 plays. Other creators on reddit report earnings as high as $13-14 per 1,000 plays.

However, as payouts are calculated based on engagement metrics, these payments may vary. If a lot of your players don’t stay on a map for more than a couple of minutes, then your earnings won’t be that high.

What’s more, it’s not quite as simple as putting a map out into the world; you need to find ways of getting it in front of people. Many Fortnite map creators use social media to spread the word about their maps, but it means that’s an extra round of labour you need to factor in before you can start earning.

Ultimately, it’s probably not a reliable enough source of income to pack in your day job. It bears some similarities for ways that LEGO fans can ‘earn money’ through programs like BrickLink Design Program and LEGO Ideas. Technically speaking, you’ll get a cut of those set sales – but that relies on you first getting enough support from the general public and then the go-ahead from the LEGO Group.

Nonetheless, if LEGO Fortnite does expand map customisation to everyone, it will open a whole new world of creating. LEGO fans are naturally a creative bunch, so we can only imagine that any maps created by the community would be fun to play through.

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