We get it — being AFK shouldn’t be the goal of a gameplay loop. The idea is to reduce abuse, encourage active engagement, and make room for more dynamic game types in Fortnite. But the current implementation affects a very specific kind of player — and in doing so, it risks stifling entire genres that are built on slow progression and long-term engagement.
Our Case: Pet Heroes Adventure
In Pet Heroes, we’ve been building a game that players can return to for months — not just for a couple of intense sessions. We’ve been live since July 2024, and since then we’ve consistently released updates, new content, and seasonal events like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.
It’s almost impossible right now to create a long-term experience in UEFN without making some parts of the game slower and grindier, especially because:
- Memory limitations prevent us from adding endless content
- Systems like UI or long quest chains are still limited in Creative
- Players want something they can slowly build over time
We aren’t designing for players to go AFK — but for those who choose to hang out in the world longer, leave the game running while doing chores, or even just step away for a moment, this 30-minute disconnection breaks the immersion and discourages long-term play.
New players are completely fine — they have plenty to do. They’re unlocking areas, opening eggs, progressing quickly. That part of the loop is untouched. The players this rule affects most are the passionate, returning players — the ones who already completed the main content, and still choose to return every day to slowly grind, complete collections, or hang out with friends.
These are the people who built our community — and this rule actively works against them.
Real Example of Retention
In May 1st, 2025, Pet Heroes had a retention rate of 43.49%.
That’s incredibly high for a UEFN game. Players aren’t just visiting — they’re sticking around. And they’re doing that even if part of the experience includes slower, passive grinding.
Even Epic’s Own Content Suffered
To me, one of the clearest signs this change was rushed is what happened with Epic’s own Star Wars experience.
When this AFK system launched at 15 minutes, players were being kicked mid-cutscene while watching the new episode. That’s probably why it was quickly bumped to 30 minutes.
But if the rule wasn’t fully compatible with Epic’s own flagship content on launch day, that’s a red flag that it needs more careful consideration before becoming a permanent system-wide feature. We have no issue with limiting XP gain or playtime stats for those players who are AFK, we’re just showing that if this rule was created to punish bad actors, a side effect is that all the tycoon/simulator genre will be negatively affected.