The games industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, with layoffs, studio closures, and funding issues becoming all too common. Enrique Fuentes, CEO and co-founder of Teravision Games, experienced these difficulties firsthand following the release of Killer Klowns From Outer Space, an asymmetrical horror game inspired by the iconic 80s movie. Despite the game receiving positive reviews, including a 7 from IGN, and garnering hundreds of thousands of views for its trailers, Teravision found it challenging to secure a follow-up project.
“2024 was a tough year for the industry, which made it difficult for us to secure our next project quickly,” Fuentes explains. Despite previous collaborations with major companies like Disney, Nickelodeon, and Xbox, the studio struggled to find a new venture. In response, Teravision, with its team of seasoned developers boasting over 20 years of industry experience, turned to a novel approach: developing games within Fortnite using Unreal Engine for Fortnite (UEFN). In less than a year, they successfully released three UEFN games, with their fourth game, Courtyard King, launching today.
Courtyard King, developed in collaboration with Skybound, the company co-founded by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, is a King of the Hill-style multiplayer PvPvE game set in the infamous prison location from the series. The game leverages official The Walking Dead assets available in UEFN, featuring character models of Rick Grimes, Negan, and Daryl Dixon. Additionally, Teravision worked closely with Skybound's writers to develop the game's story and dialogue.
“Instead of a multi-year project like Killer Klowns From Outer Space, these are projects that we can complete in weeks or months,” says Fuentes. “We have worked with big brands in the past, and UEFN was something we were experimenting with, but we never imagined it would lead to collaborating with a company like Skybound. User-generated content (UGC) is one of the biggest trends in gaming right now.”
UGC, driven by platforms like Fortnite, has become a significant trend in the gaming world. While Roblox has already seen success with UGC created by players, professional studios like Teravision are now exploring UGC development using Fortnite's Unreal Engine 5-based tools, which are ideal for experienced developers.
“It made sense for us because of our engineering background,” Fuentes explains. “It allowed us to experiment and manage some of the risk. Instead of committing to a multi-year project, we could develop games in weeks or months.”
Teravision's experiments led to the creation of Havoc Hotel, a roguelike shooter set in a hotel, where players earn currency to upgrade their weapons with each cleared floor. The first Havoc Hotel was a modest success, paving the way for further development in the series, with Havoc Hotel 3 now being one of Fortnite's most popular games.
Martin Rodriguez, Teravision's game designer, notes that the transition to UEFN was smooth for the studio, given their prior experience with Unreal Engine for Killer Klowns. UEFN's streamlined systems and "drag and drop" processes allowed the team to focus on creating better games and exploring new creative ideas.
While the engineering team adapted well to UEFN's tools, the game design team faced unique challenges. Games like Havoc Hotel started as experiments but evolved into standalone experiences. LD Zambrano, Teravision's creative director, highlights that UEFN games differ from traditional games in many ways.
“A traditional game design experience focuses on objectives that encourage cooperation and competition,” Zambrano says. “In UEFN, we found that while these objectives are still relevant, there are many popular experiences within Fortnite that are more about context. They involve weird situations and interactions that don’t necessarily lead to clear competition, but they still work.”
Zambrano likens UEFN games to playground games, where players create spontaneous, sometimes nonsensical games that foster engagement and friendships.
One unique aspect of Courtyard King is its infinite game format, where matches continue indefinitely with players joining and leaving at will, and even switching teams. This dynamic creates opportunities for betrayal, reminiscent of The Walking Dead's themes.
“Players can drop in and out at any time and change teams, which can lead to betrayals. You might enter the game with a friend, but then switch teams without telling them, adding a very The Walking Dead-like twist,” says Fuentes.
For game developers, UEFN presents a viable model for indie studios to experiment without exhausting their funds, while accessing large player bases and major IP assets like The Walking Dead. Fuentes believes this approach is a game-changer for indie developers.
“We can now assume the risk as an indie developer in UEFN,” Fuentes says. “Last year, starting a three-year project was unthinkable. Now, we can develop something in weeks with a smaller team, completely changing the paradigm for new developers. This is a viable model that can support an 80-person studio like ours. With the right ideas, creativity, and market understanding, execution becomes possible in weeks or months, not years. It’s a dream come true for indie developers.”
