Published: March 24, 2026 
Epic Games just announced that three Fortnite modes are getting removed. Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival Battle Stage are all shutting down, and it's happening alongside news that over 1,000 Epic employees have been laid off. Here's everything you need to know before they're gone.
Why Is Fortnite Shutting Down These Modes and Cutting Off Employees?
Epic didn't even sugarcoat it. They posted the news on Fortnite Status X account, admitting that they "failed to build something awesome enough to attract and retain a large player base." CEO Tim Sweeney also confirmed the layoffs, saying Fortnite engagement has been dropping since 2025 and the company is spending more than it's making.
The modes being cut simply never found a big enough audience. Ballistic was Fortnite's attempt at a tactical 5v5 shooter to compete with games like Valorant, Rocket Racing was built off the Rocket League formula, and Festival Battle Stage was the competitive side of the music modes. None of them took off the way Epic hoped.
The scale of these cuts is hitting people hard, too, and some of the names being let go are surprising. People are so angry because one of the legendary Fortnite engineers, Evan Kinney, who worked on systems like the latest Rivalry feature, was among those laid off. He shared his reaction publicly, saying he was "genuinely so confused and bewildered," especially after spending the past week debugging and receiving praise from multiple directors just days before being let go.
What Happens to Each Mode?
Here's a quick breakdown of when each mode is shutting down:
| Mode | Shutdown Date |
|---|---|
| Ballistic | April 16th, 2026 (v40.20 update) |
| Festival Battle Stage | April 16th, 2026 (v40.20 update) |
| Rocket Racing | October 2026 |
Rocket Racing
Rocket Racing has been around for two years, and it's leaving for good in October 2026. Quests are stopping soon, and the track creation template is being removed from UEFN, too, which is the game's creative toolset. There are also no more ranked rewards planned for this season.
However, your Vehicle Locker stays intact. Any cars you've customized will still be usable in Fortnite after the mode shuts down. Epic is also adding car physics and track-building tools to UEFN in April, so creators can still build racing content on their own islands.
Ballistic
Ballistic, Fortnite's 5v5 tactical shooter mode, is shutting down on April 16th, 2026, with the next v40.20 update. You can still play and rank up until then, so if you want to hit a higher rank before it's gone, now's the time.
UEFN's first-person shooter tools aren't going anywhere, though, so creators can still build FPS-style islands even after Ballistic is removed.
Festival Battle Stage
Fortnite Festival has three music modes: Main Stage, Jam Stage, and Battle Stage. Only the Battle Stage is being removed on April 16th, 2026. That's the competitive PvP mode where four teams of four players go head-to-head on the note highway rhythm gameplay.
Thankfully, the Main Stage and Jam Stage are staying. Quests for Battle Stage will still be available right up until it goes offline, so finish them while you can.
What Do Players Think of Fortnite Shutting Down These Modes?
The reaction from the community has been pretty mixed, but a lot of players aren't exactly too shocked. Reading all the comments on the tweet's replies, players are mostly frustrated. A lot of players feel Epic brought this on themselves by spending too much on big IP collabs and funding low-quality creator maps instead of building content people actually want.
Some players put it bluntly: stop the non-stop collabs and start listening to what the community has been asking for. It's a fair point, and with over a thousand jobs now gone, which is a lot, it's clear something had to change. This is a reminder that real people who cared deeply about Fortnite are losing their jobs, too!
Even with these cuts, Epic says music is still a big priority, and they'll keep improving Main Stage and Jam Stage in Fortnite Festival. The v40.20 update on April 16 is also when Save the World goes free to play, so that's something to look forward to. If you want one last run in Ballistic or Battle Stage, you've got until April 16 to do it before it's gone for good.
