Virtual-world creators gaining traction beyond Roblox and Fortnite

As virtual-world creators begin building large audiences — and real incomes — on platforms beyond Roblox and Fortnite, advertisers are starting to take notice.

A new kind of creator has emerged in the past two years: the user-generated content (UGC) creator, whose preferred medium is three-dimensional virtual items and worlds, rather than audio, video or text. Platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite have led this charge, with Roblox paying $280 million to UGC creators who published digital avatars or virtual worlds in the fourth quarter of 2024. Advertisers have also poured millions of dollars into these UGC gaming platforms in recent years, solidifying their evolution from video games into full-service creator platforms and marketing channels.

In 2025, UGC creators are starting to find success in smaller UGC platforms beyond the major players Roblox and Fortnite. UGC mini-game creator Soydade, who asked to keep his real name private, boasts a following of nearly 150,000 on the UGC platform Highrise, and has earned over $300,000 over the last two years by charging users to play poker games inside a virtual lounge on the platform.

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