Fortnite 41.20 adds Sidekick rigs, UMG widgets, and new tools

Epic’s v41.20 Fortnite ecosystem update landed on July 16, 2026, and it gives UEFN creators new ways to build companion-driven islands. The release adds Control Rig support for Sidekicks, in-world UMG widgets, and a batch of new content assets. Epic’s release notes also say islands featuring Sidekicks and Creatures-themed assets can be published starting July 23.

What changed in 41.20

• Sidekick Control Rigs arrive in UEFN for the first wave of companion animation work.
• The update adds in-world UMG Widgets for UI elements placed directly inside island space.
• New content includes the Bank Shot Pistol, Smoke Grenade, Friend Zone item, and Sinister Strip prefabs and galleries.

Epic says the new Sidekick rig support uses the same rig structures it uses internally, which should help creators animate companions with more consistency. The initial archetypes listed in the notes are Dog Large, Dog Small, and Cat Small. Source.

Publishing window

The key timeline change for creators is the publishing date: Epic says islands with Sidekicks and the new Creatures-themed assets become publishable on July 23, 2026. That makes 41.20 a tooling update now and a publishing unlock later in the week. Epic’s notes