Fortnite’s hated Ballistic Mode appears abandoned at UE Fest with zero IRL players

Since its early access launch, Fortnite’s Ballistic mode has struggled to attract the attention of the game’s vast player community. Designed to compete with titles such as Counter-Strike and Valorant, Ballistic sets two teams against each other in round-based engagements, with one side tasked with planting a “Rift Point Device” while the other defends. Between rounds, players can acquire weapons and gear in the hopes of outlasting their opponents.

Despite initial excitement, with over 250,000 concurrent players shortly after launch, the mode has since witnessed diminishing popularity, with many criticizing its departure from Fortnite’s distinctive battle royale mayhem in favor of a more conventional FPS experience. Community sentiment reveals displeasure with matchmaking issues and a steep learning curve for players accustomed to Fortnite’s lively, fast-paced gameplay. This lackluster reception culminated at Unreal Fest 2025, where the Ballistic booth was apparently empty, drawing no players.

Fortnite’s Ballistic mode gets no love at Unreal Fest 2025 as booth remains abandoned with zero players

Fortnite’s Ballistic mode booth was completely empty during Unreal Fest 2025, which took place in Orlando from June 2 to 5, reflecting the game’s dwindling popularity. The absence of participation at this important Epic Games tournament foreshadows a difficult road ahead for Ballistic’s longevity.

The image shared by Fortnite creator Krootzy shows a booth with laptops on it playing Fortnite Ballistic while idle. Furthermore, another image also shows an empty waiting area, which would normally have attendees lined up to play the game.

In contrast, Unreal Fest 2025 provided a slew of new Fortnite and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) announcements, invigorating the maker community. Epic announced a new AI-powered NPC system for UEFN, which will be available later in 2025. This technology will allow creators to create dynamic NPCs with customized actions and speech, boosting the immersive gameplay.

A new AI chatbot for Verse coding was also introduced, making scripting easier for creators. Epic also announced a collaboration with Squid Game, which will include themed elements in UEFN, as well as Avatar and Star Wars content for bespoke island development. Check out all the announcements at Unreal Fest 2025 right here.