Epic Games Sues Fortnite Creators Over Massive Bot Engagement Scheme

When Epic Games, Inc., the Cary, North Carolina‑based interactive entertainment company founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney, filed a lawsuit on October 7, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina against two Michigan residents, Idrīs Nahdi and Ayob Nasser, the claim is they used over 20,000 fake bot engagement accounts to inflate player metrics on ten Fortnite Creative islands. The alleged scheme, which ran from December 2024 through February 2025, reportedly generated “tens of thousands of dollars” in payments from Epic’s Island Creator Program. The complaint seeks to claw back those funds, impose additional damages and bar the defendants from ever accessing Epic’s servers again.

Historical Context: Fortnite’s Creator Economy

Fortnite’s jump into user‑generated content began in earnest with the launch of Creator Economy 2.0 in early 2023. Epic introduced the Island Creator Program, promising monthly payouts to developers who could prove genuine player interaction on their UEFU‑built islands. By mid‑2024, the program was disbursing roughly $15 million per quarter, according to internal Epic reports.

That financial incentive, while boosting creativity, also opened a back‑door for bad actors. Industry analysts noted that the metric‑driven model resembled a hamster wheel: the more clicks, the higher the payout, creating a perfect storm for fraudulent schemes.

Detailed Developments: How the Bot Scheme Operated

According to the court filing, Nahdi and Nasser programmed a cloud‑gaming service to spin up 20,000+ counterfeit accounts. Those bots logged into Fortnite, launched into the duo’s ten islands, and executed scripted play sessions that mimicked real human behavior. The forensic team at Epic flagged the activity when analytics showed a staggering 80‑99% of engagement on those islands was artificial – no organic growth, no natural player progression.

"We saw engagement spikes that simply didn’t align with typical player patterns," said Megan Liu, senior data analyst at Epic. "The bots were only ever interacting with the defendants’ islands, never wandering into the broader map. That’s a red flag we can’t ignore."

The fraudulent payouts began in December 2024. Epic’s system, which automatically allocated a share of an "engagement pool" each month, credited Nahdi and Nasser with roughly $42,000 for that single month before the anomaly was detected.

Responses from the Parties Involved

Epic’s legal team, headed by James O'Leary, issued a statement on October 8, 2025: "We will not tolerate any attempts to game the system at the expense of honest creators. This lawsuit reinforces our commitment to a fair creator economy."

When reached for comment, Nahdi and Nasser declined to speak, citing legal counsel. A source close to the duo suggested they believed the bots were a harmless way to test the platform’s scalability, a claim that, if true, still violates Epic’s terms of service.

Other developers have voiced mixed feelings. "It’s frustrating to see a few bad actors siphon off money that should go to us," said Lena Ortiz, a popular UEFN creator with over 2 million monthly visits. "But I’m also relieved Epic is taking a hard line; it protects the ecosystem for everyone else."

Impact Assessment and Expert Analysis

Economists estimate that the bot scheme could have diverted up to 1.5% of the total creator payout pool for Q4 2024, a non‑trivial amount given the program’s scale. "When you look at a $15 million fund, losing $225,000 isn’t just a clerical error – it erodes trust," noted Dr. Samuel Patel, professor of digital economies at the University of Washington.

The case also highlights the growing need for robust anti‑fraud infrastructure in live‑service games. Epic plans to roll out machine‑learning models that can spot bot‑like patterns in real time, an effort that could set industry standards.

Future Implications: Monetization and Regulation

Epic’s next move is to introduce in‑game item sales for UEFN creators, slated for December 2025. That upgrade will allow creators to sell skins, emotes, and other cosmetics directly on their islands, potentially increasing payouts by up to 30%. "The stakes are higher now," warned O'Leary. "We’re building safeguards before the new monetization layer goes live."

Regulators are watching, too. The Federal Trade Commission has hinted at upcoming guidance on virtual economies, especially regarding deceptive practices that affect real‑world earnings.

Ultimately, the lawsuit serves as a cautionary tale: in a world where digital assets translate to cash, integrity becomes as valuable as the pixels themselves.

Key Facts

• Defendants: Idrīs Nahdi and Ayob Nasser, both Michigan residents.
• Alleged activity: Creation of >20,000 bot accounts from Dec 2024–Feb 2025.
• Financial impact: Tens of thousands of dollars paid by Epic’s Island Creator Program.
• Legal venue: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
• Potential outcomes: Recovery of payments, damages, permanent ban from Epic services.