Fortnite thumbnails: formats, Epic’s rules and tips for Discover
The thumbnail is the first thing a player sees of your map in Discover. Since October 22, 2026, Epic requires a full set of promotional images: landscape, portrait and logo, with and without text (Epic documentation). Here are the formats, the rules to follow and what makes the difference.
The required formats
When you publish in the Creator Portal, the Promotional Media screen asks for these images (Epic documentation):
| Image | Size | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape, with logo and art only | 1920 × 1080, PNG or JPG | Creator page and Discover |
| Portrait, with logo and art only | 1440 × 1920, PNG or JPG | Featured rows and mobile |
| Island name logo | 1440 × 608, transparent PNG | Placed by Discover on art-only images |
Each one is a still image of 5 MB at most (thumbnail policies). Art-only versions carry no text or logo: Discover places your logo on them itself.
Videos are optional
The trailer is not required to publish, but it is to appear in the Hero carousel and Epic’s Picks. The gameplay video shows a real match, with no editing. Expected format: MOV ProRes, 16:9, 15 to 30 seconds, uncompressed stereo sound (Epic documentation).
Epic’s rules to follow
A rejected thumbnail delays your release. Epic’s rules come down to a few points (thumbnail policies):
- Accuracy: the thumbnail truly represents the experience; any weapon or device shown must exist and be usable on the island.
- General audience: no blood, realistic violence, guns aimed at a head or at the viewer, or sense of terror.
- No reward promises: no levels or XP amounts, not the words AFK, XP, Coin farm or Coin slide, no Fortnite coin imagery.
- No money: neither V-Bucks nor real-world currency.
- No platform-specific controls: Discover only features islands playable everywhere.
- Originality: don’t copy another creator’s thumbnail or impersonate a creator or brand; no copies of an island with near-identical thumbnails.
- Intellectual property: no Epic logos or product names, no official Epic key art; Epic assets provided in UEFN are allowed.
- No photos of real people.
What makes players click
No recipe is guaranteed, but a few principles keep coming back among maps that do well:
- One subject, one action: a character up front doing the thing you will do in the map.
- Readable at a small size: on mobile, the thumbnail is a few centimeters wide; strong contrast, few elements.
- A style that signals the genre: a colorful 3D render for a party game, a dark mood for horror, piles of resources for a tycoon.
- A short, crisp logo, since it will also sit on its own on art-only versions.
- Compare two versions: the Promotional Media screen offers an optional A/B test to see which one performs best (Epic documentation).
To see how the thumbnail weighs in ranking, read our article on the Discover algorithm.
Prepare the whole kit faster with AI
Making five consistent images takes time. Island Pilot’s Thumbnails tab generates every format in seven styles (3D render, cartoon, cinematic, horror, tycoon…), rolls one image out into a full kit, has it reviewed against Epic’s rules and checks your videos before you upload.
AI does not exempt you from the rules: you remain responsible for what the thumbnail shows, especially the characters and brands you have the right to use.
FAQ
What size is a Fortnite thumbnail?
1920 × 1080 for landscape, 1440 × 1920 for portrait and 1440 × 608 as a transparent PNG for the logo, each image being 5 MB at most.
Is the portrait thumbnail required?
Yes: since October 22, 2026, Epic requires landscape and portrait thumbnails, each with the logo and as art only, plus the island logo.
Can I put text on a Fortnite thumbnail?
Yes, the “with logo” version carries the title. Just avoid the banned terms (XP, AFK, Coin farm…) and any mention of money or V-Bucks.
Can I make my thumbnail with AI?
Yes, Epic’s rules are about what the image shows, not the tool. The thumbnail must stay true to the island, original and free of protected content you have no right to use.