The games industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, with layoffs, studio closures, and funding issues creating a turbulent environment. Enrique Fuentes, CEO and co-founder of Teravision Games, felt this instability keenly after the release of their asymmetrical horror game, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, inspired by the 80s movie. Despite positive reviews, including a 7 from IGN which praised its entertainment value, and high viewership of its trailers, the team at Teravision struggled to secure a follow-up project.
"2024 was a tough year for the entire industry, which slowed down our efforts to start our next project," Fuentes explains. Despite previous collaborations with major companies like Disney, Nickelodeon, and Xbox, finding the next venture proved challenging. With time pressing, Teravision, a studio with 20 years of industry experience, pivoted to a novel approach: developing games within Fortnite. In less than a year, they released three games using Unreal Engine for Fortnite (UEFN), and today, they launch their fourth, Courtyard King, utilizing the official The Walking Dead content pack in UEFN.
Courtyard King, developed in partnership with Skybound, the company co-founded by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, is a King of the Hill-style multiplayer PvPvE game. Players battle each other and NPC zombies to control territory within the iconic prison setting from The Walking Dead. The game leverages official UEFN assets, including character models of Rick Grimes, Negan, and Daryl Dixon, and incorporates a story and dialogue crafted with Skybound's writers.
"These projects are quicker to develop than multi-year projects like Killer Klowns From Outer Space," says Fuentes. "We had worked with big brands before, but experimenting with UEFN opened doors we never anticipated, like collaborating with Skybound." User-generated content (UGC) is a major trend in gaming, especially with platforms like Fortnite, which has attracted massive audiences similar to Roblox. The concept of UGC developed by professional studios, however, is newer, and Fortnite's Unreal Engine 5-based tools provide an ideal platform for experienced developers like Teravision.
"It made sense for us to experiment in this platform given our engineering background," Fuentes explains. "It allowed us to manage risk better." Their experimentation led to the creation of Havoc Hotel, a roguelike shooter set in a hotel where players earn currency to buy weapons as they progress. The success of the first Havoc Hotel paved the way for subsequent releases, with Havoc Hotel 3 now one of Fortnite's most popular games.
Teravision's game designer, Martin Rodriguez, notes that transitioning from Unreal Engine to UEFN was seamless for the studio. "It's more streamlined and 'drag and drop,' which lets us focus on creating better games and exploring new ideas," he says. While the engineering team adapted easily, the game design team faced unique challenges. Games like Havoc Hotel started as experiments but evolved into standalone experiences. Teravision's creative director, LD Zambrano, highlights the differences between traditional games and UEFN games.
"Traditional games focus on objectives that drive cooperation and competition," Zambrano explains. "In UEFN, we've found that even though those elements are still important, there are popular experiences that are more about context and interaction, similar to playing at recess. These might not have clear competition, but they engage players and foster friendships."
Courtyard King exemplifies this approach as an infinite game with no final winner. Players can join or leave at any time, switch teams, and engage in scenarios that echo the unpredictable nature of The Walking Dead. "Players can enter a match with a friend, then switch teams mid-game without telling them, creating opportunities for betrayal," Zambrano adds.
For game developers, UEFN represents both a sandbox within larger platforms like Epic Games and Roblox, and a viable model for indie studios to experiment and innovate without exhausting their resources. "We can now assume the risk as indie developers," says Fuentes. "We couldn't even consider starting a three-year project last year, but now we can create something in weeks or months with a smaller team. This is a dream come true for indie developers, allowing us to support an 80-person studio like ours."
