lilbert

[Dustin (DWDFN) @duos_with_dad]

NEW YEAR, NEW GRIFT

I saw a post about this and decided to look into it.

Right now, the highest paid promoted slot is an RvB map with SINGLE PLAYER LOBBIES, that alone should raise eyebrows.

This isn’t an accident.

When you load into the map, you’re placed into a boxed area containing matchmaking portals that redirect players to another map using the same thumbnail, but under a different creator code.

So why do this, I have an educated guess...

The payment method tied to the promotion will be canceled and/or a stolen identity/credit card is used to run the promotion in the first place

And when the fallout happens, who will get punished?

The creator whose map ultimately received the traffic, highly unlikely...

This mirrors patterns we’ve already seen with XP abuse and TikTok scam loops. The platform often cannot definitively prove that both accounts belong to the same individual, which means this can easily become a weaponized tactic to get other creators flagged, demonetized, or banned.

So in the end, it seems this will be another situation that will end up abused and those willing to commit fraud will benefit.

On any platform where money is involved, these types of individuals will do anything to earn a piece of the profits.

Without stronger verification like biometric checks from Clear (similar to what platforms like LinkedIn already use) this type of abuse will continue.

I am positive this is not what Epic had envisioned when creating the Promoted Row, I do think this needs to be addressed sooner than later though, as it is only going to get worse.

Because if creators are already willing to do this so openly today, what should we expect once microtransactions are introduced?

I feel guilty tagging, but I feel it is important to get eyes on this as soon as possible.

@TimSweeneyEpic @MarkRein @EpicGames @FNCreate

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@danoploid @FNCreate nw man! what did you use to make these systems??

[Miko @Mho_23]

this looksmaxer is 100% ai generated

account name @loganreed515 on tiktok

he's posting ai slideshows in the looksmaxxing niche on tiktok amassing millions of views and funneling traffic to a peptide product in his bio

nobody in the comments even realizes it's ai he's using nano banana pro for images, then animating with kling and veo3.1

ai generated content is going to fully take over social media in 2026
this is only the start, think about how many more will pop up like this

people will use this to drive traffic to any offer - info, ecom, saas, doesn't matter
with the right positioning in your ai slideshows you're bound to go viral

ai can create scenarios that simply aren't possible in real life and the average person doesn't realize it, they just consume and click

you're leaving money on the table if you're not testing ai content for distribution...

the barrier to entry is zero, the upside is unlimited

[Anthony Camacho @avcanthony_]

Do you make this mistake in your ads? (90% of copy does)

You finish writing copy with Claude.
Scan it. Lean back. Think, “This is the one.”

You’re excited. Put it in your ad account and… It flops. You want to punch your laptop.

“I thought this was excellent, why won’t it spend?”

If you relate…

You’re probably ignoring Gradualization.

This is starting your ad with something prospects immediately accept as true, then building acceptances that lead to your goal conclusion.

Start with what customers accept without question, then ease them into accepting what YOU want.

Why does this matter?

Many think if you know what customers want and slap them with some sob story, you should drown in conversions.

Not true. Your audience has pre-existing beliefs.

Beliefs are what we perceive to be TRUE.
YOUR JOB as advertiser: find your
audience’s desire and identifications…

But also identify what BELIEFS you need to SHIFT for them to BELIEVE your copy.

Schwartz gives a FANTASTIC example using TV repair manuals.

Every TV owner having trouble was a prospect. But before becoming a customer, they had to believe:

1.They could save money making their own repairs

2.They were capable of making them
Most could save money and make 80% of repairs themselves.

But prospects didn’t realize this.
“Save up to $100 a Year on Your TV Repairs!”

Flopped even though it called out desire.

Why?

The audience BELIEVES making TV repairs is complicated and expensive.

They hold this as TRUE. FACT.

You can’t make claims to people who believe otherwise—it falls on deaf ears.

You can’t convince me 2+2 = 5 if I believe 2 + 2 = 4.

The copywriter faced two tasks:

Reach all prospects, not just handymen.
Convince non-handymen their sets weren’t fragile, complicated monsters, and they could easily correct most troubles.

The headline started from a different point—leveraging universal resentment towards high TV repair bills.

“WHY HAVEN’T TV OWNERS BEEN TOLD THESE FACTS?”

A headline implying foul play.
A headline crystallizing UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED RESENTMENT.

Something ALL PEOPLE CAN AGREE WITH.

Another example: cat water fountain.
“Give your cat years more healthy living with Purrify.”

FEELS like a good headline, right?

I’m going deeper emotionally than surface desire (drink more water).

But research shows TWO things:

1.They believe CKD is preventable

2.They believe ALL WET FOOD is THE MOST EFFECTIVE prevention

Knowing this, we form a new headline:

“Why Some Owners Spend Thousands On Wet Food, But Still End Up With Kidney Disease”

This crystallizes universal frustration—switching to wet food but still getting CKD.
Or another spin:

“Have you ever thought ‘Is it normal to never see my cat drink?’”

In essence, if your copy isn’t converting, read your first sentence and lead:

Are you starting with statements your audience universally accepts as true?
Am I accounting for pre-existing beliefs?

If not, go back into research and identify what your audience holds true.

Re-start your copy with this in mind.

Every time I analyze my copy for proper gradualization, I’m surprised at how far my head was up my ass thinking this should convert.

You’ll likely find the same.

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@lucachapman_ @BenFacciani1 holy W

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@maxxmalist send

[Max @maxworld]

I’ve never shared anything about this, but f*ck it.

I’ve been sick for over 4 years , unable to even go for a simple walk or attend university (which I ended up dropping out of). I’ve spent countless days at the hospital, sometimes 12+ hours a day, and even got hospitalized for months this year.

I want to be honest. I’ve lost several opportunities because I was hospitalized and couldn’t work, but I’ve learned to accept that . it’s part of my situation and the lifestyle I was forced to live.

Anyone else in my position? Probably depressed, not working, spending the day playing video games.
Me? The last time I was hospitalized, 6 months ago, I bought myself a MacBook Pro just so I could keep working from the hospital bed.

That’s why I know I’ll never fail in life.
I simply wouldn’t stop. Ever.

If that’s not loving the game, I don’t know what is.

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@donpeecho @avcanthony_ how?

[Ian Southwell ➡️ #Unrealfest2026 @IanSouthwell2]

Pushing Changes work out routine #UEFN

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@GraemeBullX @VibinJivan looks good

[Graeme Bull @GraemeBullX]

We have our first casual map in Epic's Picks this week! [Digging Tycoon💎Boss Fight 2856-7078-4649] is a boss fight/build your base style tycoon map and was a ton of fun to build and grow. Please check it out! Coding by me, game by @VibinJivan

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@iicqt @GraemeBullX What more original maps are dropping?

[Vessel @FNCVessel]

How the UEFN ecosystem feels right now

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@ElysiumUEFN @FNCreate how are they even able to do this??

[Skadank @Skadanker]

Been working on the cursor UI some more and thought a more interesting demo would be good to show off some capabilities. Here I've recreated the Minecraft crafting system fully in Verse using my cursor UI, adding a new recipe takes no more than 2 lines of code :)

#UEFN

[lilbert @7lilbert]

@GuedesUEFN commented