Xbox Game Studio The Coalition is headed up by Rod Fergusson, a former employee of Epic Games. In a candid interview with Game Informer, he mentions that before he left the studio he tried to cancel Fortnite as it didn't meet a certain level of quality. This is prior to the whole Battle Royale phenomenon, when the game's Save the World mode was the entirety of the experience.

"If I stayed at Epic, I would have cancelled Fortnite," Fergusson said. "Before I left, I tried to cancel Fortnite." Adding that the project had "some challenges" when it was Save the World. "And as the director of production at the time, that game would not have passed my bar for something we should continue [with]."



Since leaving Epic to form The Coalition and continue work on the Gears of War franchise for Microsoft, Fergusson notes that many people ask him if he feels bad or has regrets for moving on before Fortnite's worldwide success. "You should feel really good," Fergusson hypothetically responds. "Because that game you love, that worldwide sensation, would not exist had I stayed at Epic."