Check out the sizzle reel from the most recent Women Creators Program
May 23, 2024
Over the past few years, the annual Women Creators Program has seen talented female film industry professionals embark on in-depth training and mentoring to learn Epic tools.
In 2023, the program moved beyond Unreal Engine animated shorts into the world of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) with help from our partners Amazon Web Services (AWS), Green Rain Studios, Dancing Atoms, and Women in Games International (WIGI).
We received a total of 224 applications from across 35 countries and as always, the quality of the applicants was incredibly high, making for some tough decisions when it came to finalizing the shortlist.
In 2023, the program moved beyond Unreal Engine animated shorts into the world of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) with help from our partners Amazon Web Services (AWS), Green Rain Studios, Dancing Atoms, and Women in Games International (WIGI).
We received a total of 224 applications from across 35 countries and as always, the quality of the applicants was incredibly high, making for some tough decisions when it came to finalizing the shortlist.
In the end, 80 women across 13 countries were selected for the program. Ten women creatives provided mentorship to support the finalists as they built and published their first interactive experiences with UEFN, while Green Rain Studios showed them the ropes with technical training.
Elena Höge, founder of Yaldi Games, was one of the mentors drawn from across the games industry who was chosen to guide teams through the program. “I witnessed the convergence of diversity, creativity, and ambition as these inspirational women from varied backgrounds and cultures collaborated to craft a game within Unreal Editor for Fortnite,” she says. “Every team—not just my own—demonstrated unparalleled commitment, creativity, and support for one another, mastering UEFN’s vast toolset.”
For Höge, it became clear that this journey was about more than just game creation. “It was a transformative process that equipped these women with the skills necessary to navigate the games industry and leverage Fortnite’s vast audience for future success,” she explains. “Their dedication and the supportive environment they fostered are a testament to the potential of inclusive programs to empower creators and redefine the industry landscape.”
The program has opened up the massive reach of Fortnite to women across India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, teaching a cohort of talented new creators how to build cross-platform experiences, and connecting the dots to the metaverse.
Elena Höge, founder of Yaldi Games, was one of the mentors drawn from across the games industry who was chosen to guide teams through the program. “I witnessed the convergence of diversity, creativity, and ambition as these inspirational women from varied backgrounds and cultures collaborated to craft a game within Unreal Editor for Fortnite,” she says. “Every team—not just my own—demonstrated unparalleled commitment, creativity, and support for one another, mastering UEFN’s vast toolset.”
For Höge, it became clear that this journey was about more than just game creation. “It was a transformative process that equipped these women with the skills necessary to navigate the games industry and leverage Fortnite’s vast audience for future success,” she explains. “Their dedication and the supportive environment they fostered are a testament to the potential of inclusive programs to empower creators and redefine the industry landscape.”
The program has opened up the massive reach of Fortnite to women across India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, teaching a cohort of talented new creators how to build cross-platform experiences, and connecting the dots to the metaverse.
As program sponsors, AWS provided financial and technology support. “It’s been incredible to collaborate with Epic on this program and watch these talented women leverage UEFN and the cloud to create experiences for audiences across the globe to enjoy,” says Gena Gizzi, Senior Solutions Architect and President of Women in Games at Amazon Web Services (AWS).
One of those women is Christelle D’cruz, Co-Founder of SuperGaming. Partnering with her colleague Pinki Naskar, D’cruz produced INDUS—a battle royale game with a twist—over the course of the program.
“Our entire INDUS experience in Fortnite was built in just 27 days by two of us from SuperGaming,” says D’cruz. “What we saw in this program was exceptionally inspiring. Teamwork and collaboration across time zones led those with limited to no game development experience turning into creators.”
One of those women is Christelle D’cruz, Co-Founder of SuperGaming. Partnering with her colleague Pinki Naskar, D’cruz produced INDUS—a battle royale game with a twist—over the course of the program.
“Our entire INDUS experience in Fortnite was built in just 27 days by two of us from SuperGaming,” says D’cruz. “What we saw in this program was exceptionally inspiring. Teamwork and collaboration across time zones led those with limited to no game development experience turning into creators.”
The pair were left buzzing after the program ended and they’re excited to see where UEFN takes them in the future. “We were left feeling that with UEFN, the possibilities are limitless,” D’cruz says.
Want to explore some of the other fantastic games our finalists produced as part of their learning experience? Dive in and take a look below. You can try many of these prototypes out for yourself by searching for the island codes on Fortnite Discover.
Want to explore some of the other fantastic games our finalists produced as part of their learning experience? Dive in and take a look below. You can try many of these prototypes out for yourself by searching for the island codes on Fortnite Discover.
Island code: 4176-9656-1350
Arcane Odyssey
Harvest the wonders of the Magical Islands, exploring the Greenland, Desert, and Iceland biomes while solving puzzles, avoiding traps, and fighting monsters along the way.
Mentor: Laxmi Khanolkar, CEO and Co-founder Apar Games
Team: Chetana Mali, Viola Vanesha, Anna Patricia Navarro, Pranjal Lokhande
Mentor: Laxmi Khanolkar, CEO and Co-founder Apar Games
Team: Chetana Mali, Viola Vanesha, Anna Patricia Navarro, Pranjal Lokhande
Island code: 5097-0870-9682
Balance of Ethos
In this action-adventure game set in a fantasy land, you must save the world by collecting orbs to find a harmonious balance of emotions, while fighting an evil presence bent on amplifying negative feelings.
Mentor: Poornima Meegammana, Lecturer in Animation and Game Design, and UAI
Team: Chhavi Sharma , Mergery Mukoma, Mashal Azmi, Salma Sulthana Shaik
Mentor: Poornima Meegammana, Lecturer in Animation and Game Design, and UAI
Team: Chhavi Sharma , Mergery Mukoma, Mashal Azmi, Salma Sulthana Shaik
Island code:1942-6352-3655
Delivery Dash
Dash to deliver delicious meals to hungry customers before your friends while dodging traffic, fighting against time, and collecting resources.
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Marisa Tontaveetong, Didem Kübra Atila, Ammara Nazir, Supriya Mohite
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Marisa Tontaveetong, Didem Kübra Atila, Ammara Nazir, Supriya Mohite
Island code: 8124-3027-1917
Eldervale
Dark times are coming—the darklings are rising. Step into a perilous maze on a quest to reclaim a magical sword that holds the key to victory, avoiding traps and monsters along the way.
Mentor: Elena Höge, Founder and Creative Director, Yaldi Games
Team: Zeynep Kalaycıoğlu, Burcu Kiper, Lana Alabdulrazzak, T R R Sri Samveda, Kakul Khan, Chelsea Khoo, Chandrika Ong
Mentor: Elena Höge, Founder and Creative Director, Yaldi Games
Team: Zeynep Kalaycıoğlu, Burcu Kiper, Lana Alabdulrazzak, T R R Sri Samveda, Kakul Khan, Chelsea Khoo, Chandrika Ong
Island code: 8264-4870-6720
Forbidden Tomb
Enter the Forbidden Tomb in a bid to find the elixir that will save your village—but watch out for traps, obstacles, and the dark forces mobilizing against you.
Mentor: Elena Höge, Founder and Creative Director, Yaldi Games
Team: Rayne Guo, Kanchan Raj
Mentor: Elena Höge, Founder and Creative Director, Yaldi Games
Team: Rayne Guo, Kanchan Raj
Island code: 3806-7103-1309
Forgotten Legacy
After landing on planet Vespera, you wake up with amnesia and failing health. You discover an amulet enabling portal travel and must embark on a journey to regain lost memories and uncover your mysterious predicament.
Mentor: Simay Dinç, Game Producer & Co-Founder, Recontact Games
Team: Aditi Dhingra, Mahum Hashmi, Malaika Amin, Mursal Alemi, Deepthy Rose Jose, Sonia Jahnavi Nandhikanti
Mentor: Simay Dinç, Game Producer & Co-Founder, Recontact Games
Team: Aditi Dhingra, Mahum Hashmi, Malaika Amin, Mursal Alemi, Deepthy Rose Jose, Sonia Jahnavi Nandhikanti
Island code: 1942-6352-3655
INDUS: Battle Royale
Harmonizing the evolution of the battle royale genre with the concept of Indo-Futurism, INDUS is a vision of what India once was, could have been, and still can be.
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Pinki Naskar, Christelle D’cruz
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Pinki Naskar, Christelle D’cruz
Island code: 2163-3097-9130
Orbit Outcasts
In the vastness of space, a team of astronauts hunt for celestial nectar jars with the power to heal Earth. As they approach an alien world, disaster strikes. Their ship is torn apart and the sole survivor must navigate deadly quests, confront hostile aliens, retrieve the nectar, and return home.
Mentor: Laxmi Khanolkar, CEO and Co-founder Apar Games
Team: Zubaida Nila, Minha Farook, Sulbha Jadhav, Adeline Tushabe, Pavani Thummalacharla, Mandana Nik Soleimani
Mentor: Laxmi Khanolkar, CEO and Co-founder Apar Games
Team: Zubaida Nila, Minha Farook, Sulbha Jadhav, Adeline Tushabe, Pavani Thummalacharla, Mandana Nik Soleimani
Project Memory
The city is in a state of emergency and all citizens are being urged to head as quickly as possible for the evacuation points. Make your way through the chaos, trying to avoid the droids at all costs along your way.
Mentor: Warda Rashid Khan, Producer and Game Designer
Team: Selin Su Bağcı, Alyaa Elhamahmy, Srujana Ediga, Ayushi Parikh, Dimitri Josephine, Jeanalize Van Wyk, Anelya Altiyeva
Mentor: Warda Rashid Khan, Producer and Game Designer
Team: Selin Su Bağcı, Alyaa Elhamahmy, Srujana Ediga, Ayushi Parikh, Dimitri Josephine, Jeanalize Van Wyk, Anelya Altiyeva
Island code: 5284-0894-8502
Robo Rivals
Team Humans must find and reinstate the crystal ball at the bottom of the Tower to reclaim the island from AI Robot invaders.
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Sana Sikandar, Harshita Sharma, Lakshmi Deshpande, Sona Pal
Mentor: Aarti Gaur, Co-Founder & Art Director, Big Boot Games
Team: Sana Sikandar, Harshita Sharma, Lakshmi Deshpande, Sona Pal
Island code: 0334-9524-4740
Sisters of Destiny
To save her abducted friends from malevolent deities, Nadira must travel to a mystical world and fight a number of enemies along the way, gathering keys, weapons, and resources as she goes.
Mentor: Poornima Meegammana, Lecturer in Animation and Game Design, and UAI
Team: Elena Dimopoulou, Ayesha Ashraf, Zarmeen Azmat, Emine Işıkelekoğlu, Nadhirah Ishak, Jaqueline Czerille Vicente
Mentor: Poornima Meegammana, Lecturer in Animation and Game Design, and UAI
Team: Elena Dimopoulou, Ayesha Ashraf, Zarmeen Azmat, Emine Işıkelekoğlu, Nadhirah Ishak, Jaqueline Czerille Vicente
Island code: 6780-7692-6964
Soulbound Secrets
In a serene foraging community in the Ereni forest, strange and unsettling events have been unfurling. You must embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the forest where the secrets of its decline and the key to its healing lie hidden.
Mentor: Simay Dinç, Game Producer & Co-Founder, Recontact Games
Team: Sulakshana Parab, Shajeeha Mehdi, Anuradha Marwha, Mfon Enoh Grace, Tasneem Abdelfattah, Ether Ikoko
Mentor: Simay Dinç, Game Producer & Co-Founder, Recontact Games
Team: Sulakshana Parab, Shajeeha Mehdi, Anuradha Marwha, Mfon Enoh Grace, Tasneem Abdelfattah, Ether Ikoko
Island code: 2689-5932-8925
The Howling Quest
As darkness engulfs the spooky wolf-infested forest, you stumble upon a path and meet Dana, a red-hooded girl on her way to her grandmother’s house. Joining her along the way, you face menacing wolf-like creatures that you must defeat to clear the forest of its spell.
Mentor: Limpho Moeti, Producer/Business Development, RocketRide Games
Team: Gökçe Yalçınkaya, Lilyan Mussa, Dana Albojoq, Rosalynne Magturo
Mentor: Limpho Moeti, Producer/Business Development, RocketRide Games
Team: Gökçe Yalçınkaya, Lilyan Mussa, Dana Albojoq, Rosalynne Magturo
Island code: 2614-8661-2220
The Relic Hunter
The Relic Hunter is a fearless explorer on a quest for adventure. She embarks on a globe-trotting journey to collect an elusive relic lost in the ancient temple. Uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and unearth legendary treasures in this epic quest.
Mentor: Limpho Moeti, Producer/Business Development, RocketRide Games
Team: Goksu Songur, Cassie Simpson, Monica Dale, Sushmitha Emandi, Jyoti Roy Mridha
Mentor: Limpho Moeti, Producer/Business Development, RocketRide Games
Team: Goksu Songur, Cassie Simpson, Monica Dale, Sushmitha Emandi, Jyoti Roy Mridha
Beyond what we’ve featured here, there have been so many exciting submissions to this program from people all over the world. We’re so impressed by all the work from everyone who submitted including Seh Fei Faye, Regina “Xiao” Supapo, Hemangi Thorat, Suha Rjoub, Yulia Bogonos, Mariam Dholkawala, Snehal Chaudhari, and so many more.
INSPIRED BY WHAT YOU’VE SEEN?
You can start creating games and experiences in Fortnite with UEFN today. Download UEFN and learn the ropes with the documentation here.