Epic Games announced today that characters and assets from The Walking Dead Universe are now available to Fortnite creators through Unreal Editor in Fortnite (UEFN) and Fortnite Creative modes. The two entertainment properties cross over as creators can build their own experiences using Walking Dead materials. Epic rolls out TWD assets today for players to begin building their islands, which they can publish starting on May 16.
The Walking Dead tools include the titular undead Walkers as NPCs, along with the Shiva Shotgun, which roars like its namesake, Ezekiel’s tiger companion, when fired; and Negan’s infamous baseball bat Lucille. Players can access several prefab environments that echo locations in the show and also added a post-processing effect that mimics the comics’ heavy linework.
Saxs Persson, Epic Games EVP, added, “With The Walking Dead Universe now a part of UEFN and Fortnite Creative, our creators have an incredible toolbox to draw from. The combination of these iconic assets with our powerful toolset will unlock action-packed storytelling and gameplay.”
A recent report from Owl & Co noted that The Walking Dead was one of the most successful entertainment properties so far this century, as the show and games consistently commanded large audiences. Creator Robert Kirkman said in a statement, “This collaboration with Fortnite is an incredible opportunity to expand The Walking Dead in ways we’ve never imagined. Whether it’s Lucille smashing through hordes or the eerie presence of Walkers, I can’t wait to see where the Fortnite community’s creativity takes us.”
