This weekend past saw the passing of the canceled raid on Area 51, a satirical event that has been taking the internet by storm for months. Now, as it fades into internet legend, one of its sillier aspects, the "Naruto run," is getting commemorated in Fortnite.
Of the many entertainingly strange things that made up "Storm Area 51," perhaps the most memorable was the joke about being able to get through Area 51's defenses by running like the characters from the Naruto series. For those who don't know, that means running with one's body tilted forward and arms hanging back behind them, as one "Naruto runner" demonstrated on a live TV newscast. Thanks to a new emote, it’s now possible to do the same in Fortnite.
Announced by Epic Games on the game's official Twitter account, the emote, called "Full Tilt," is now available to purchase in Fortnite's Item Shop. With this, players will be free to run around the map at a "full tilt" worthy of an anime ninja. Whether they do it to honor the Area 51 raid, celebrate their favorite anime, or simply goof around a little, will be up to them to decide.
This actually comes at a rather good time for celebrating all things Naruto. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the franchise, a fact the fans have been keen to point out. Epic Games may be busy hosting a Fortnite/Batman crossover event at the moment, but the inclusion of a Naruto-themed emote is as good a reason for it to consider a Naruto crossover as well.
The Full Tilt run is not the only content based on the Area 51 raid that was added to the game this weekend. Besides the emote itself, the Item Shop also has the "Zorgoton Outfit" and "Flying Slasher Pickaxe" for players to buy. Dataminers uncovered evidence of Area 51-themed skins in Fortnite last week, and now they’re here for those who want to dress their characters up as an one-eyed alien escaping Area 51, armed with only a UFO-shaped picket sign.
Fortnite is available in early access for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.