Epic Games to Let Players Create AI NPCs in Fortnite

After introducing AI Darth Vader to Fortnite, Epic Games has revealed that players will soon be able to design their own AI-driven NPCs within the popular battle royale universe.

The AI version of Darth Vader arrived in Fortnite last month, bringing a range of dynamic abilities: he can sing to players, freely join or leave squads, give intelligent responses, deliver spontaneous dialogue, summarize key gameplay moments, and warn players of upcoming dangers.

This digital Darth Vader is voiced by the legendary James Earl Jones, who passed away in September 2024 at age 93. With permission from his family, his iconic voice has been recreated using Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model and ElevenLabs’ Flash v2.5 technology.

Shortly after the feature launched, players managed to prompt Vader into using language more fitting of the Dark Side—including profanity. Epic quickly addressed the issue with a patch.

AI Darth Vader, however, was just the beginning. During State of Unreal 2025, Epic announced new UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) tools that will let creators build their own AI-powered characters. A live demo showcased the Persona Device, which enables the creation of interactive characters with unique personalities, selectable voices, and customizable traits.

“We’re applying the lessons learned from Darth Vader and giving our creator community access to the same underlying technology,” Epic stated.

In addition, major franchises are coming to UEFN—Squid Game arrives on June 27, followed by Avatar: The Last Airbender, along with official Star Wars templates, assets, and features. LEGO brick-by-brick building is set to launch on June 17, accompanied by the new LEGO Bloom Tycoon template.

Also at State of Unreal 2025, Epic and CD Projekt Red showcased an impressive Unreal Engine 5 technical demo for The Witcher 4.