UGameplayStatics::SpawnActor (Spawn Actor from Class)

function Engine Blueprint Since unknown

#include "Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"

Access: public Specifiers: static

Description

There is no UGameplayStatics::SpawnActor function. The Blueprint 'Spawn Actor from Class' node calls BeginDeferredActorSpawnFromClass + FinishSpawningActor. In C++, use UWorld::SpawnActor<T>() directly — it is simpler and more efficient.

Signature

static ENGINE_API AActor* BeginDeferredActorSpawnFromClass(const UObject* WorldContextObject, TSubclassOf<AActor> ActorClass, const FTransform& SpawnTransform, ESpawnActorCollisionHandlingMethod CollisionHandlingOverride, AActor* Owner, ESpawnActorScaleMethod TransformScaleMethod)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description	Default
WorldContextObject	const UObject*	Any valid UObject in the world (pass 'this' from an Actor).	—
ActorClass	TSubclassOf<AActor>	The class to spawn.	—
SpawnTransform	const FTransform&	Location, rotation, and scale for the spawned actor.	—
CollisionHandlingOverride	ESpawnActorCollisionHandlingMethod	How to handle spawn location conflicts. Defaults to Undefined (uses actor's setting).	ESpawnActorCollisionHandlingMethod::Undefined

Return Type

AActor*

Caveats & Gotchas

• In C++, always prefer GetWorld()->SpawnActor<AMyActor>(AMyActor::StaticClass(), SpawnTransform) over the Blueprint deferred path. It spawns in one call and returns a typed pointer.
• The Blueprint 'Spawn Actor from Class' node exposes exposed properties for initialisation before BeginPlay — this is the deferred spawn pattern (BeginDeferredActorSpawnFromClass → set properties → FinishSpawningActor). Use this only when you need to set UPROPERTY values before BeginPlay fires.
• SpawnActor returns null if spawning fails (e.g. collision blocking with AlwaysSpawn not set, or invalid class). Always IsValid() check the result.

Example

C++ spawn (preferred) and deferred spawn for pre-BeginPlay init C++

// Simple C++ spawn — preferred approach
FActorSpawnParameters Params;
Params.Owner = this;
AMyProjectile* Projectile = GetWorld()->SpawnActor<AMyProjectile>(
	AMyProjectile::StaticClass(),
	MuzzleTransform,
	Params
);

// Deferred spawn — set properties before BeginPlay
AMyActor* Actor = Cast<AMyActor>(
	UGameplayStatics::BeginDeferredActorSpawnFromClass(
		this, AMyActor::StaticClass(), SpawnTransform,
		ESpawnActorCollisionHandlingMethod::AlwaysSpawn
	)
);
if (Actor)
{
	Actor->InitialHealth = 200.0f; // Set before BeginPlay
	UGameplayStatics::FinishSpawningActor(Actor, SpawnTransform);
}

Version History

Introduced in: unknown

Version	Status	Notes
5.6	stable	—

Feedback

Was this helpful?