Epic Games removed Rocket Racing from Fortnite on 1 October 2026, nearly three years after the racing mode launched. The Psyonix-built mode was cut alongside Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage, announced on 24 March 2026, the day Epic laid off more than 1,000 staff. Epic said the mode never retained a large enough player base.
Why Did Epic Shut Down Rocket Racing?
Epic said Rocket Racing never attracted enough players to justify keeping it running.
The announcement came from the Fortnite Status account on 24 March 2026 and named three modes at once. “We’ve built a lot of Fortnite modes, and in some cases we failed to build something awesome enough to attract and retain a large player base,” the statement read, adding that Epic was “grateful for everyone who played”.
Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage were given three weeks and came out on 16 April 2026. Rocket Racing was given six months, so creators could move compatible content onto standalone islands before the mode went dark.
The same day, Epic cut more than 1,000 jobs. In a memo reported by both TechCrunch and CBC News, chief executive Tim Sweeney wrote that “the downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we’re spending significantly more than we’re making”. Sweeney said the cuts were not caused by AI replacing developers. It was Epic’s second large round of layoffs in three years, after about 830 jobs went in September 2023.
Rocket Racing’s Timeline, From Launch to Shutdown
Rocket Racing was an arcade racing mode built by Psyonix, the studio behind Rocket League, and launched inside Fortnite on 8 December 2023. Up to twelve players raced at once, with no items or weapons, building a boost meter by drifting and driving up walls and ceilings. It arrived after months of leaks about a racing mode coming to Fortnite Chapter 5.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 8 December 2023 | Rocket Racing launches inside Fortnite, developed by Psyonix |
| October 2024 | Patch v31.40 ends themed updates and official new tracks |
| 24 March 2026 | Epic announces the shutdown and cuts more than 1,000 jobs |
| 16 April 2026 | Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage are removed |
| April 2026 | Racing tools move into the base Unreal Editor for Fortnite toolset |
| 1 October 2026 | Rocket Racing and every island built from its templates go offline |
The Decline Started in October 2024
Epic stopped making new themed content for Rocket Racing in October 2024, less than eleven months after launch.
The v31.40 patch notes ended themed seasons and official new tracks. The mode kept quests, items and ranked periods, and Epic pointed players towards creator-made tracks instead, saying new ones were “releasing every day”. Outlets including Video Games Chronicle and PCGamesN read it as Epic scaling the mode back rather than growing it.
Critical interest was thin from the start. IGN’s Gabriel Moss scored it 6 out of 10 in December 2023, calling it fun for a few rounds but short on content. Metacritic never produced a Metascore for it, because only one critic review was ever logged there; as of 10 October 2026 its user score stands at 6.0 from 35 ratings. For players who stuck with it, drifting was the whole skill ceiling, and the drift technique that defined Rocket Racing was what separated the ranked ladder from everyone else.
What Happens to the Cars and Items You Bought?
Nothing is taken away: cars and vehicle customisation items bought for Rocket Racing stay in your Vehicle Locker and still work in Fortnite.
Epic’s support pages state that the Vehicle Locker is not affected and that players can keep using their customised cars in Fortnite. That includes crossover designs such as the Batmobile. Epic announced no refunds or V-Bucks credits, and the items remain usable in other parts of the game.
What Happened to Creator-Made Rocket Racing Tracks?
Every Fortnite island built from a Rocket Racing template was unpublished on 1 October 2026 and is no longer playable.
Creators lost access to the original track templates and could not publish updates to those islands in the run-up to the shutdown. To soften it, Epic moved the racing technology into the base Unreal Editor for Fortnite toolset in April 2026, including car physics, hazards, the Track Spline tool and Speed Boost devices.
That meant a creator could rebuild a track as a standalone island, but not port one across. Anything left on a Rocket Racing template after 1 October went down with the mode.
Where Can You Race in Fortnite Now?
Player-made racing islands in the Fortnite Discover browser are the only racing left, and Epic has announced no replacement mode.
Because the UEFN racing tools stayed, creators can still build tracks with jumps, boosts, hazards and drafting. What is gone is the official structure around them: no Epic-made tracks, no Rocket Racing playlist and no ranked racing ladder.
As of 10 October 2026, Rocket Racing has been offline for nine days and Epic has named no successor. It is one of several live-service titles retired during 2026, a list that already includes other mobile and multiplayer shutdowns this year.
Is Rocket League Shutting Down Too?
No. Rocket League is a separate game and was not part of Epic’s March 2026 shutdown.
Psyonix’s standalone car-football game kept its normal schedule through the year, with Season 24 going live on 23 September 2026. Rocket Racing borrowed its cars and its developer, but closing the Fortnite mode did not touch the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Was Rocket Racing Removed From Fortnite?
It went offline on 1 October 2026. Epic had set the October date six months earlier, in its 24 March 2026 announcement.
Were Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage Shut Down Too?
Yes, both were removed on 16 April 2026. The rest of Fortnite Festival, including the Main Stage, the Jam Stage and existing Jam Tracks, stayed in the game.
Do Rocket Racing Cars Still Work in Fortnite?
Yes. Vehicles and customisation items bought for the mode remain in the Vehicle Locker and can be driven elsewhere in Fortnite.
Is Rocket Racing Coming Back to Fortnite?
Epic has announced no plans to revive it and no successor mode as of 10 October 2026. Its creator track templates were retired with it, so a return would mean rebuilding the mode.
