'Fortnite' To Release AI-Powered NPCs
Now the bots talk back.
Summary
- Fortnite is introducing new AI-powered NPCs capable of real-time, generative conversations
- Creators can customize these NPCs’ personalities and voices using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN)
Artificial intelligence may not have taken over the world yet, but it’s certainly making waves in Fortnite. Since the introduction of the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) in 2023, creators have been able to build, collaborate on fully customizable islands and much more. Now, Epic Games is pushing the boundaries even further with AI-powered non-playable characters (NPCs).
In early experimentation of an AI-powered Darth Vader character added in game, the character could interact with players and even join their squad if they gain his loyalty by defeating him. While this was a hit with fans, it also highlighted early issues — most notably, the lack of filtered dialogue, which allowed the AI to be prompted into swearing. Epic Games quickly acknowledged the problem and added parental controls as well.
Now, Epic Games is taking things a step further. At the “State of Unreal” keynote, the company offered a glimpse into Fortnite’s future with the introduction of Mr. Buttons — an AI-powered NPC capable of holding real-time, unscripted conversations. Unlike traditional scripted characters, Mr. Buttons can respond dynamically to player prompts, marking a significant leap toward more immersive, interactive gameplay.
That said, the experience isn’t without flaws. To mask processing delays, the AI fills pauses with sounds like “hmm” or “umm”— a clever touch at first, but one that quickly becomes repetitive and slightly robotic. Still, the progress is hard to ignore.
Take a look at the Mr. Buttons demo above.
