Epic Games launches AI-powered characters in Fortnite with voices from professional actors

Epic Games Enables AI-Powered Characters for Fortnite Creators

Epic Games is opening the doors for creators to publish experiences featuring AI-powered characters with dynamic voice capabilities starting July 30th 1

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. The company has developed 36 characters with consistent voices and personas that creators can deploy as AI-driven NPCs within their custom islands built using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) 2

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. These characters include beloved Fortnite staples such as Agent Jonesy, Peely the banana, Fishstick the walking fish, and Cuddle Team Leader 1

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The move represents a significant expansion of Fortnite AI capabilities, building on Epic Games' earlier experiments with AI voice technology. The AI-powered voices are powered by Google Gemini, with performances captured from independent professional actors specifically for use in Creator Islands 2

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. According to Epic Games, the actors agreed to have their performances used to develop voice models that create the spoken responses for these large language models-powered characters 1

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How the AI Voice Chat Feature Works

The conversations system, which was previously in an experimental phase since June 2025, allows these NPCs to do far more than follow simple scripted responses 3

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. These AI-powered characters can remember what's already happened in the game session and adapt their behavior in real time 3

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. If a player speaks to a character and says "hello," the character will respond accordingly, demonstrating contextual awareness that goes beyond traditional NPC interactions 2

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The system also enables characters to trigger events within the game, creating more dynamic and responsive gameplay experiences 3

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. While creators could previously test islands with this feature, they couldn't publish projects until the conversations system exits its experimental status on July 30th 2

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. This limitation will be lifted, allowing published experiences to reach the broader Fortnite community through UEFN.

Voice Actor Concerns and Future Plans

The introduction of Fortnite AI raises questions about the role of voice actors in the gaming industry. Characters like Agent Jones, originally voiced by Troy Baker, are now part of the AI conversations system 3

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. Epic Games has stated its next step is to work with relevant guilds and character voice actors who have previously worked on Fortnite Battle Royale to explore opportunities to make their original voices available across the Fortnite ecosystem 1

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Epic Games tested the waters with AI characters last year through a Darth Vader NPC powered by James Earl Jones' voice, a collaboration approved by Jones' estate 1

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. However, players quickly manipulated the Darth Vader NPC to say vulgarities and expletives, forcing Epic to issue a quick patch 2

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. The incident highlighted how players will find ways to abuse AI systems if possible, presenting ongoing moderation challenges for Epic Games as it rolls out this technology more broadly 2

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Epic Games laid out ground rules earlier this year when it started letting creators test their own AI characters, attempting to prevent problematic behavior 1

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. As one of the most powerful publishers in the gaming world, Epic's adoption of AI voice technology sets a precedent that could influence how other developers approach voice acting and character development in the future 2

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