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Epic MegaGrants

A growing community of 3D creators is achieving their wildest dreams with the help of Epic MegaGrants, expanding the impact of real-time technology in the process. Learn more about the program here, as we explore how talented people are creating stunning projects with Unreal Engine.

Image courtesy of Studio Inkyfox
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Overview

Batora: Lost Haven © Stormind Games - All rights reserved

Game development

We love helping Unreal Engine games see the light of day, whether they are brand new or moving to UE5. We also have a soft spot for small teams and solo developers, so if you need a hand, get in touch. 
Image courtesy of Jonathan Winbush

Education

Real-time jobs are expected to grow 122% in the next 10 years, which is only going to make the skill set more valuable to graduating students. Need help starting a program, funding a unique teaching tool, or even conducting research? MegaGrants are here to help.
Mall Stories is a Chromosphere Production

Film, TV & live events

Real-time technology is transforming the entertainment world, leaving tons of room for experiments and growth. We are looking at everything from live-action/animated films and shows to broadcast, live, and location-based events. The bolder, the better.
Image courtesy of Ixora

Tool & open source development

Developing a software tool that integrates with Unreal Engine? Creating open source tools or enhancing the capabilities of open source software to benefit the 3D graphics community? We love supporting open projects that solve tough problems or make life better for everyone. 
Other non-games verticals 
If you are working on an innovative visualization, interactive application, or VR/MR/AR project for architecture, automotive, manufacturing, we’d love to hear more.

Calling all Fortnite creators

Are you using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) to build exciting new Fortnite islands? You can apply for an Epic MegaGrant! Whether you’re developing a game, interactive experience, or something totally new, we want to help take your Fortnite project to the next level. 
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Success stories

Over 1,800 grants awarded—so far!

Creator wins

Dream game, no compromises: How a solo dev created Omno

Sometimes quitting your job pays off…big time. Check out our video spotlight on the solo developer of the critically-acclaimed adventure game Omno to find out more.
 Image courtesy of FX Animation Studio

Success story

Kibwe becomes first UE5 animated film produced entirely in Mozambique

Image courtesy of CONICAL

SUCCESS STORY

How The Green Fairy morphed into a transmedia franchise for CONICAL

Image courtesy of CONICAL

SUCCESS STORY

How The Green Fairy morphed into a transmedia franchise for CONICAL

Success story

Kibwe becomes first UE5 animated film produced entirely in Mozambique

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SUCCESS STORY

Husband and wife duo fix a ruined island with sprightly cats and a MegaGrant

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Get updates on industry innovations and the latest free assets

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Catch up on MegaGrants Week

We’ve archived all the stories, livestreams, and artist insights, so they’re always just a click away. See what has been making our mentions go through the roof today!

A thriving community of creators

 
Creators around the world are honing their real-time skills in groundbreaking ways. Check out some recent projects from real Unreal Engine users

Coral Island by Stairway Games

Every game has a vision, but not every game teaches you about conservation while you play it. Coral Island, on the other hand, rewards you for cleaning up the ocean and rebuilding coral reefs. All positive ideas you can take into your own life.

Little Bird by Chris Perry

This Emmy-nominated short follows a brave young astronaut as she wrestles with a heart-wrenching choice. Audiences have been captivated with it since its Short Nite premiere. A quick look and it's easy to see why.

No Captain Allowed! By 9heads game studios

This spaceship needs to escape a crazy world filled with chaotic AI invaders and sudden weather shifts. Battle with up to four players through the frenetic, escalating nature of this wild ride.

Epic MegaGrants Perks Program

This is our ever-evolving list of Epic-curated partners and Unreal Engine Ecosystem resources that past, present, and future MegaGrants recipients can access to take their projects to the next level. 

AMD, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Intel, and Move.ai are already bringing in huge perks like free hardware, AWS Activate credits, marketing support, and more. We’ll also be adding in our own perks from the Epic Ecosystem, including free licenses/premium accounts for Capturing Reality and Sketchfab.
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FAQs

Frequently asked questions

EPIC MEGAGRANTS

Epic Games has committed to providing financial grants to creative, noteworthy, and innovative projects built in and around Unreal Engine or projects that enhance the open source 3D graphics ecosystem.

Our average grants range from $5,000 to $250,000, with some extraordinary projects receiving up to $500,000! Projects selected cover a variety of endeavors from game development, architecture projects, and film production, to educational uses and software tool development. No matter what size grant you receive, you will continue to own your IP and will be free to publish it however you wish. 
Simply put, we succeed when you succeed. We’re incredibly proud of the Unreal Engine community and want to do what we can to grow it.
We’re looking to support anyone doing amazing things with Unreal Engine or for the 3D graphics ecosystem. To ensure that Epic MegaGrants delivers the most value to the community, here are a few considerations:
  • Game development: We love helping Unreal Engine games see the light of day, whether they are brand new or moving to UE5. Please submit game projects that are past the idea/design phase and have at least some form of working prototype. A link to a video of your working prototype is ideal.
  • Film, TV & live events: Real-time technology is transforming the entertainment world, leaving tons of room for experiments and growth. We are looking at everything from live-action/animated films and shows to broadcast, live, and location-based events. The bolder, the better.
  • Other non-games verticals: We’d love to see your Unreal Engine projects in other industries, including architecture, automotive, manufacturing, simulation, product design, advertising, VR/AR, and more. For complex projects, we are looking for more detailed project plans and prototypes.
  • Education: Research, educational curricula and course development, student projects, and university programs using or related to Unreal Engine are all eligible. Please note that for institutions, we only accept submissions from degree-granting schools and educators at such schools.
  • Tools and open source development: You can submit an application for a new tool or plans to port existing tools to Unreal Engine or create tools that integrate existing software with Unreal Engine. You can also submit a new open source tool (including tools that provide interoperability) or any enhancement for existing open source projects related to 3D graphics. For new tools, we would like to see a detailed plan or, if available, a prototype.
  • Unreal Editor for Fortnite Creative Islands: Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) combines the power of Unreal Engine with the scale of Fortnite. We're looking for talented creators and developers that are building imaginative and innovative Fortnite Creative islands. From games to interactive experiences we're looking to bring new projects to life.
Yes. If your project is built in another engine or toolset and you want to move it to Unreal Engine, you are eligible to apply for an Epic MegaGrant. If you want to develop a project that enhances open source 3D content creation, whether or not it integrates with or relates to Unreal Engine, you are also eligible.
No. Epic Games is not participating in sponsorships at this time.
No. We encourage and support projects from all over the globe! If we can legally make payment to you, you are eligible.
No. Individuals and small teams are also eligible and encouraged to apply. We strive for fairness, and treat every project equally, regardless of who you are.
Yes.
If your project was not chosen for an Epic MegaGrant and you have made updates to your project that you’d like us to consider, you are eligible to reapply. We ask that you  wait for the decision to be made before reapplying for the same project. 
Epic MegaGrants program is an ongoing program, and there is no specific deadline to apply for a grant.
Submit your application via the form on the Epic MegaGrants page and tell us about your project. Send us videos, links, and any other info you think will help us see why your project is awesome.
We recommend that you create a realistic budget for your project. We also recommend mentioning any additional funding you may have secured for your project. It is not guaranteed that you will receive the amount you request. 

We ask that the funds be used directly for project or team specific expenses, such as continued project development and hiring. Please include a high-level budget breakdown, including key buckets (for example, $5,000 for developer training). If your planned use of the funds changes over the course of your project, please let us know.

We want to focus on supporting the project directly, but will occasionally approve requests to apply the funding for hardware purchases or rentals if such hardware will contribute to the project in a meaningful way, on a case-by-case basis at Epic’s sole discretion. 
To add significant project updates to your application, email megagrants@epicgames.com directly with any additional information—such as links, videos, or images—that you would like us to consider. We are happy to add anything you provide to the application on your behalf.

Please make sure that you provide passwords to password-protected documentation and/or documentation that the review team can access without having to login or provide personal information in order to view. 
 
We evaluate each project based on quality and unique appeal, by how much it will benefit the Unreal Engine and 3D graphics community and ecosystem, and whether we think the work is viable. Below are some pointers to help you best position your project: 
  • Quality and unique appeal: Show us what sets your project apart from others with high-quality demos or builds and well-documented descriptions. Is your project pushing the technical barriers and capabilities of the engine? Including a detailed example and media in your submission can help make your project stand out.
  • Community benefit: Tell us how you will give back to the community to create lasting impact for other developers and creators. For example, will you open-source the project, make the assets available through a marketplace, share the learnings of your project with the community, or help other developers with a new SDK, tool or plug-in. Be specific in how your project will go beyond the walls of your team or company. 
  • Viability: Be clear on your funding needs and how the money will be used to move your project forward, including a well-documented budget highlighting the major spend areas (e.g., hiring a new developer, documentation, QA). We encourage you to lay out a project plan, including key milestones, deliverables, and an overall timeline. Be specific enough to give us greater confidence in your ability to execute your plan. 

For inspiration we recommend checking out this link for past recipients showcase and blog posts.
We strive to get back to you within 90 days of your submission and in periods of high application volume it may take a bit longer. We'll also follow up if we need more information or if we need more time to evaluate your project.
Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to grant requests for phone calls or video calls. Our review committee will carefully evaluate all materials and media that you submit. If we have additional questions, we will reach out to you directly.
For grants up to and including $25,000, you may receive the entire grant amount in a single payment.
 
For larger grants, funds will typically be paid out over several installments, depending on the size of the grant and complexity of your project. We’ll let you know about installment timing if your grant is approved, and will check in with you periodically throughout the life of your project. We’ll never tell you how to use money granted to you, but we do want to see continued planning, progress, and viability in your project prior to payout of an installment.
 
With some large and complex projects, Epic may procure services for your use as part of the grant, if doing so would be effective in bringing your project to fruition.
Yes! The MegaGrants program continues to create additional opportunities to support and promote your work! Some of these include:
  • Support and hardware from select MegaGrant Partners
  • Recipient newsletters
  • Showcasing opportunities
  • Recipient community
  • And more!
The grant may be considered income to you, which may be subject to taxes depending on where the activity is performed. We recommend you check with a tax professional familiar with your local tax laws to understand the tax implications to you. 
If your project is chosen to receive a MegaGrant and it utilizes Unreal Engine, you will be required to agree to the Unreal Engine End User License Agreement. 
We are not able to sign any NDAs at this time. 
No. Epic MegaGrants are only eligible to projects that can be published through UEFN. If you would like to use Fortnite Creative AND UEFN to create your submission, the project must be primarily built using Unreal Editor for Fortnite and published through UEFN.
Yes. You may still receive an Epic MegaGrant if you participate in SAC or are enrolled in our engagement payout programs.
If you would like to submit an Unreal Editor for Fortnite project please select the “Project Type” that best describes your submission, select “other” as your “Project Type Subcategory,” and note the use of UEFN in your project details.
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Application