“Our first priority was ‘players come first'” —Lachlan on his new Red bull PWR Run map

A household name in Fortnite, Lachlan "Lachlan" Power is one one of the biggest Fortnite content creators out there. Lachlan teamed up with Red Bull to create the Lachlan Red Bull PWR Run. This is a custom Fortnite map that gives fans of all skill levels a playground where they can improve their Fortnite skills.

With over 15 million subscribers on YouTube, and his very own icon skin, Lachlan is one well-known player in the Fortnite community. We got a chance to sit down with Lachlan to talk about his experience creating the Red Bull PWR Run map and the current state of the game.

Esports.gg: What does it mean to you and your community to build an experience tailored specifically for them with the help of Red Bull? 

Lachlan: "Being able to create games and maps that are specifically tailored to our community is so important because PWR wouldn’t exist without the support of our fans, so to work with Red Bull to bring this map to life has been awesome."

What goes into building a map that can target players of all skill levels? How do you account for different skill levels when there can be so much diversity when it comes to this? 

Lachlan: "I think it’s really important to make sure maps are versatile and cater to all skill levels to make it enjoyable for all players regardless of ability. With that in mind, we worked side-by-side with the help of our community and players of all skill levels who gave us feedback through playtesting. [This] allowed us to adjust our course and training activities. Also, the practice areas outside of the course also have multiple difficulty settings and numerous exercises to help players warm up and continue to improve."

When it comes to building the map, what went into it and what were some of the biggest challenges that you and your team overcame? 

Lachlan: "The Red Bull PWR Run was months in the works — working side-by-side with PWR Pros and community members to create an awesome experience that was reflective of the Red Bull brand that was also really enjoyable and fun for our players. The biggest and most fun challenge was designing the Red Bull PWR Run course with a low enough barrier of entry that less experienced players could still have fun, upskill, and enjoy the map while maintaining a high skill ceiling that also allowed the best players in Fortnite to use their game experience to achieve incredible lap times."

There have been a couple of other Fortnite creator maps that have been made, but none to the same scale and with the help of a company like Red Bull. How do you think Red Bull has elevated the map creation and overall experience for both you and your community that will be playing it? 

Lachlan: "When we started this project together, our first priority was 'players come first.' We set a goal to create a unique, fun experience for the Fortnite community and decided a map that challenged players and pushed them to improve and explore would be a great direction. Red Bull was very involved during the development process and worked directly with our team to create assets and give feedback on updates — to help capture the energy of a Red Bull event in a digital form. Seeing the success of the map and feedback we’ve received from players is very rewarding for everyone involved."

Do you think the future of Fortnite is in Creative map building? How do you think Fortnite can help other map makers improve and progress? 

Lachlan: "I think Fortnite’s game-making mechanics are diverse and [they provide] a really great way for creators to build whole new customized experiences within the game that are tailored towards trends [and] gaps in the standard game formats. And it’s taken game development to a whole new, innovative level."

Do you have a personal favorite custom map other than this one? 

Lachlan: "For me, I love maps that I can use to improve my skills and warm up for Battle Royale like 1v1, Zone Wars, etc., which is why the PWR Creative team and I focus on creating these [kinds] of experiences as there is a big demand for them, but of course, I always appreciate playing other well-thought-out custom map experiences like the Red Bull PWR Run, which [takes] Creative to a new level."

How do you feel about the current state of the Unreal Editor for Fortnite, and where can it go from here given your progress with Red Bull to create this experience? 

Lachlan: "I think what Unreal Editor and Fortnite Creative [do] is allows people to really explore and build on the fundamentals of game development. [They] also [help] the game continue to evolve and make tailored experiences for players of all skills and game interests."

It’s been a couple years since you’ve received your icon skin. Would you, if possible, like to change or update anything about it? And which skin outside of your own icon skin is your favorite one? 

Lachlan: "I'd love to get a single-wield pickaxe as part of my set because the animation and style of it would be super cool to see. My favorite skins are the creator icon skins as they all represent people who have been pivotal in the growth and development of the game." 

With Red Bull stepping in to help create this kind of experience for your community, what are some other ways do you think that larger companies in esports could support communities within games? 

Lachlan: "Communities are so important to the success of esports and gaming, and there are so many ways to connect and engage them. For me, a few things stick out. But I think feedback is a huge part. By listening and taking it on board, you can grow and learn. I also think by continuing to create experiences, like the Red Bull PWR Run which was made with community in mind, as well as in-person activations, like our pop-ups and in-person activities, you can really connect and show your appreciation through customized experiences."

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