In the first half of 2023, Aquiris Game Studio, where I had been working since 2020, was acquired by Epic Games, developer and publisher of Fortnite. Soon, the Brazil team started merging with Epic's global team and I started onboarding in Fortnite as a UI Engineer.
Fortnite is a massively well-known game, one of the most important ones in the last decade. Fortnite's constant updates with fresh content, free-to-play Battle Royale mode attracting a massive audience, crossover into popular culture, and diverse game modes offering something for competition, teamwork, and creativity all contribute to its continued relevance, bringing joy to millions of people around the globe.
Having a chance to join the amazing team responsible for bringing this game to life was an incredible opportunity. I've worked for almost 1 year in the game, during which I learned a lot from some of the best in the industry. I have worked on both Chapters 4 and 5 and helped shape the future of Fortnite as it continues to expand beyond Battle Royale.
As a UI Engineer, I was involved in some new gameplay HUD elements for seasonal weapons and abilities, but I also had the chance to work on the Fortnite Crew menus and the Locker menu redesign that was introduced in Chapter 5.
Fortnite is insanely complex and runs on several different devices, with several different specs. It's only possible because the game is continuously being profiled and optimized. It's no surprise that a big part of my work was also optimizing new and existing elements and screens. By doing that, I vastly increased my knowledge of Unreal Engine's profiling and debugging tools.
I left Fortnite and Epic Games in the first half of 2024. It was truly an incredible experience and learning opportunity.
