Devoted Studios & PlayVS Zone Wars UEFN Project

Our Role at Devoted Studios

When we were brought on to this project, our job was clear: develop the entire PlayVS Zone Wars mode using Unreal Engine for Fortnite. This meant creating everything from scratch—building the arenas, designing the custom rules for the 2v2 team deathmatch, and making sure everything worked perfectly in UEFN (Unreal Engine for Fortnite).

The Challenges We Face

While working with Unreal Engine for Fortnite gives us a lot of flexibility, it also brings some unique challenges. However, our team’s familiarity with UEFN allowed us to effectively leverage its capabilities, making sure that we remained true to the gameplay experience while introducing our innovative elements.

What Working With a Very Tight Timeline Looked Like

Here’s where things got really interesting, we had less than two months to get everything done. Developing a full-fledged game mode with 25 custom arenas and unique gameplay mechanics is a massive undertaking—and to do it in under 60 days? That’s the kind of challenge that really gets our adrenaline going.

Some of the time crunch challenges included:

• Managing time effectively: We had to move fast and stay on top of things—planning, designing, testing, and refining. Every stage had to be carefully timed to make sure we didn’t fall behind.
• Rapid iteration: The need for quick adaptation was important. Our development cycle involved swift prototyping and feedback loops, which enabled us to refine the gameplay continuously.
• Team collaboration: We had to work efficiently and collaborate across departments—designers, developers, and testers all had to stay in sync, sharing updates and solving problems together.

Designing 25 arenas in under two months was one of the toughest parts of this project. Each arena needed to feel different in terms of layout, challenges, and aesthetics. And even though we were working with UEFN’s limitations, we still wanted each arena to feel dynamic and exciting to play in.

• Variety in arena design: We didn’t want players to get bored quickly, so each arena had its own theme and gameplay style. Some arenas were wide-open spaces that encouraged ranged combat, while others were more confined, forcing players to think fast and use cover to their advantage.

• Balanced gameplay: Each arena needed to offer a fair playing field, so we tested them all to make sure they didn’t favor one team over the other. We also made sure that all arenas performed smoothly across different devices, so players could enjoy the experience no matter what they were playing on.

Rapid Development & Iteration

With such a short timeline, we had to keep things moving at a fast pace. But even though the deadline was tight, we never sacrificed quality. We focused on delivering a smooth and polished experience, even if it meant pushing through some late nights.

• Efficient iteration: We didn’t have the luxury of taking our time, so we quickly tested ideas, identified problems, and made changes on the fly to keep the project on track.

• Teamwork and collaboration: Throughout the process, our team worked like a well-oiled machine. Everyone—from the developers to the designers to the testers—worked together to solve challenges and bring the PlayVS Zone Wars vision to life.

Final Words From Us at Devoted

The PlayVS Zone Wars project was one of those rare cases where everything came together despite the odds. We faced a tight deadline, worked within UEFN’s restrictions, and had to create something truly unique—and we did it. The end result was a fast-paced, custom 2v2 team deathmatch island with 25 unique arenas, each offering something different for players.

The project was a big win for everyone involved, and it’s a great example of what we, at Devoted Studios, can do when faced with challenges. We’re proud of what we accomplished, and we hope players enjoy the new PlayVS Zone Wars mode as much as we enjoyed building it.

Head over to the live experience on Fortnite: PlayVS Zone Wars UEFN!