Fortnite Heads Back to Hawkins
Even if you fell off Stranger Things a few seasons ago, it is about to be very hard to ignore it again. The final season of the hit series is on the way, and Fortnite is jumping straight into the hype with a fresh crossover that leans hard into the Upside Down vibe.
Epic Games is transforming its Blitz Royale mode into a Stranger Things themed battleground and dropping a huge set of cosmetics in the in game shop. If you spend more time in Fortnite than on Netflix, this collab might be the way you experience the end of Stranger Things.
The event centers on a special version of Blitz Royale that launches on November 21. While Epic has not revealed every detail yet, the expectations are pretty clear from past events. Think a mini event that feels like a full on Stranger Things themed map rather than just a light reskin.
If you remember the Marvel Iron Man takeover from a while back, this will likely be a similar level of treatment. Limited time items, a focused location design, and lots of nods to the show are almost guaranteed.
New Stranger Things Skins and Items
The star attraction for most players will be the skins. Four of the core kids from Stranger Things are joining the island:
- Will Byers
- Lucas Sinclair
- Mike Wheeler
- Dustin Henderson
These are full character skins with Fortnite’s usual stylized look. Whether that means slightly stretched limbs or just a more grown up Hawkins gang is up for debate, but they definitely stand out compared to the older Stranger Things cosmetics.
On the villain side, Vecna is crashing the party as a particularly creepy skin. If you enjoy leaning into horror aesthetics or just want to scare people in the lobby, this one is for you.
The crossover is not stopping at outfits either. Epic is rolling out the usual full bundle of themed gear:
- Back blings tied to Stranger Things locations and props
- Pickaxes inspired by the show
- Emotes that will likely reference iconic moments or scenes
- LEGO style versions of the characters for the LEGO Fortnite crowd
For fans of tabletop gaming and the show’s roots, there is also a good chance of some fun Dungeons and Dragons references sneaking in, given how important that is to the Stranger Things vibe.
All of these new items are hitting the in game shop later tonight. If you missed the earlier Stranger Things collaboration, this is also your chance to fill out your collection. The older skins from Season 9 including The Demogorgon, Eleven, and Jim Hopper are very likely to rotate back in. They last showed up at the end of August, so they are overdue for another visit.
What To Expect From Blitz Royale Upside Down
We still do not have a full breakdown of how the Stranger Things version of Blitz Royale will work, but there are some educated guesses based on past events and the original collaboration.
For one, expect the map to get a serious mood shift. When Epic says the mode is turning into a hellscape similar to the Upside Down, that probably means:
- Dark, twisted versions of familiar locations
- Stranger Things themed set pieces like Hawkins style neighborhoods or ruined labs
- Possibly a skybox and lighting change to sell that eerie red and black atmosphere
The big wild card is the return of Upside Down portals. Back in the first Stranger Things collab around Season 9, Fortnite added creepy wall portals that you could interact with. They were a neat way to travel short distances and a fun nod to the show’s reality bending horror.
This new event is the perfect excuse to bring those portals back in some form. Maybe they will be used for quick rotations across the Blitz Royale map or as clutch escape tools if you are getting third partied at the worst possible time.
Blitz Royale is already a faster paced twist on the usual battle royale formula, so layering on a horror themed map and show inspired gimmicks should make matches feel even more chaotic. If you enjoy limited time modes that shake up your usual drop spots and strategies, this one is worth queuing for at least a few rounds.
Of course, not everyone is going to be hyped about Stranger Things in 2025. Some players are already overloaded on crossovers after superhero events, Star Wars mini seasons, and collabs with everyone from Hatsune Miku and Gorillaz to K Pop Demon Hunters and The Simpsons. For them, this will be another cool for other people event to watch from the sidelines.
But if you have any soft spot left for Hawkins, monsters, and synth heavy nostalgia, Fortnite is about to give you a fun way to revisit that world without leaving your battle bus seat. The Blitz Royale Stranger Things map lands November 21, and the new and returning skins hit the shop later tonight, so get your V Bucks ready if you want to rep the Hellfire Club on the island.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/battle-royale/stranger-things-refuses-to-let-you-forget-its-about-to-end-forever-by-immortalising-itself-in-fortnite/
