EPIC Games have made all people with a support-a-creator code access to create custom games with custom matchmaking keys.
Custom games are a way for people to create their own lobby in Fortnite Battle Royale and thereby giving them the opportunity to invite up to 100 people into their own private game. These games are often referred to as Fortnite customs, pro customs, custom scrims, custom pro scrims, custom games, Fortnite custom lobbies, private games, or private scrims.
Custom Scrims
Professional and competitive players have for a long time been doing scrims and pro scrims to prepare for tournaments and online qualifiers. Previously this has been a tedious process by trying to get into the same game by queuing up for a game at the same time. Often times, the servers would be very split, and most of the servers would be random people. By doing scrims with custom matchmaking keys, only players who have the key can join the scrim games.
Custom Pro Scrims
Professional players have their own little communities, usually organized via Discord. Discord is a chat application, that makes it easy to create servers and invite people to join these servers. Here they can talk, chat and most importantly – share custom codes with each other.
How to custom games and custom scrims work
Players will usually organize in a Discord server. Discord servers can have many configurations, but in Fortnite, the setup is almost the same. Some Discord servers are open for everyone to join, while professional players often have closed Discord servers that have specific requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to join.
This is usually how a game is organized:
- One player with access to custom matchmaking will act as a host, or custom host. The host is the one that creates the game inside Fortnite, announces the game in the Discord server and posts the custom code (the custom matchmaking key)
- Everyone else sees the announcement, fill in the custom key in-game and connects to the game
- This will place them in a queue
- When some timed has passed, and enough players have queued up for the game, the custom host will start the game
- All players will now be connected to the same private lobby in Fortnite
Things to be aware of
- In order to join, people need to have the correct settings:
- They should be in the same server region (in Fortnite, e.g. EU, NA East, NA West or so on).
- They should be in the same game mode (e.g. Solos, Duos, Arena Solo, etc.)
- They should put in the same custom code as the host
If they, for example, are in a different server region, they will not be able to join
Custom Game Rules
Since everyone in the game is in the same Discord server, it is possible to set up custom rules.
Custom rules are in place to make things more competitive or simulate a more competitive environment. People that break the rules, will usually be given a warning or be banned from the Discord server for a specific amount of time.
Example of custom rules:
- No one can fight or shoot at each other before the 3rd circle has closed (3rd circle refers to the “storm” in Fortnite).
- No one can use planes
- No one can use ballers
How to get access to custom matchmaking in Fortnite
Currently, only people who have a support-a-creator code can host custom matchmaking games in Fortnite. At the time of writing, it is unclear whether everyone will get this opportunity in the future. If you want to host custom games yourself, you will, therefore, have to apply for the EPIC Games support-a-creator program.
To be eligible to become a creator, you need to fulfill the following requirements:
- Have at least 1,000 followers on at least one major social platform (e.g. Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook)
- Completes the Affiliate Agreement and abides by the EPIC Games Creator Code of Conduct
- Be capable of receiving payment in a form that Epic supports (PayPal is one of them)
Once you apply, it might take some time for EPIC games to get back to you.
PC, Xbox, and PlayStation custom scrims
In custom games, all platforms are able to join. This makes it much easier to organize scrim games since it is so easy for people to join the same scrim game regardless of their platform.
Fortnite Custom Scrim Discord server list
We have created a list of servers where custom games are hosted. Upon joining a server, please make sure to read the rules in the server.
Often time, servers will also require you to verify and link your EPIC Games account to your Discord account. This way they can more easily ban people that break the rules.
Name | Platform | Regions | Requirements | Members | Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
YoGaming | All | All | None | +50,000 | Join Discord server |
Fortnite LFG | All | All | None | +10,000 | Join Discord server |
1Tap Esports | All | All | None | +15,000 | Join Discord server |
Fortnite Scrims | All | EU + NA | None | +230,000 | Join Discord server |
Fornite Creative Games Note: only creative games like Zone Wars and Turtle Wars | All | EU + NA | None | +10,000 | Join Discord server |
Atlantis Scrims | All | Europe | None | +200,000 | Join Discord server |
FNPL / FN Pro League | All | NA | None | +240,000 | Join Discord server |