Fortnite seems unstoppable, with the game's levels of success drawing in bigger crossovers as the years go on. With a Marvel event recently coming to an end via a massive battle with Galactus, the latest Fortnite extravaganza broke records for player count and viewer numbers, and it would likely be extremely hard for Fortnite to replicate its success. However, recent crossover leaks for Fortnite indicate that something big is on the way, and it may be even more memorable than driving battle buses into a super villain.
Fortnite may be seeing a focus on bounty hunters for its fifth season of Chapter 2 content, but two characters that have been all but confirmed for the game do not quite fit with the theme. With Agent Jonesy seemingly bringing both God of War’s Kratos and Halo’s Master Chief into the Fortnite universe, Epic Games now has access to two of the biggest PlayStation and Xbox characters. With the two recognizable icons representing the two opposing platforms, the stage could be set for the biggest Fortnite to date—a playable console war.
What A Fortnite "Console War" Event Could Look Like
With Fortnite’s Master Chief appearance heavily leaked and Kratos's officially confirmed, it would be hard for Epic Games not to seize the opportunity and pit the two powerful characters head to head. While fans will undoubtedly make the two characters face off anyway, making a proper event out of the unlikely pairing has the potential to become one of its biggest events since launch. Seeing PlayStation and Xbox characters together in one game is unheard of and ignoring the console feud seems almost impossible to do, making a massive battle between the heroes likely.
Epic Games has the potential to set up an event playing off the real-life console war between Xbox and PlayStation players, having Fortnite fans pick a side in the in-game version of the war. While Epic Games would need to ensure that the clash keeps a positive tone, ignoring the usual toxicity seen in the debates of “which console is superior,” the event could generate a huge amount of excitement in the gaming community as a whole. With Fortnite already being a cross-play game, the technology is already in place and avenues are instantly opened for servers dedicated to console war battles.
Fortnite could introduce a special limited time mode that works as a reimagining of the 50v50 Fortnite matches seen at the start of the game’s life cycle, pitting a PlayStation team against an Xbox team — with each side made up exclusively of players from each platform. Epic Games could place a counter for win counts at the main menu, giving players a constant idea of which platform has the upper hand in the Fortnite console war. Players could be able to unlock exclusive cosmetic items and rewards tied to the platform they side with, with the winning console getting some special rewards alongside bragging rights.
Outside of playing the limited time mode, players could be given different ways to contribute to their console’s win count. One option could see players earning victory royales while dressed as PlayStation’s Kratos or Xbox’s Master Chief. Not only would this be an incentive to buy the crossover skins, but it could give players a way to contribute to their team’s numbers through normal Fortnite matches as well. Further, something similar to the back bling on Fortnite’s NFL skins can be provided to all players on the platforms, ensuring that fans can rep the logo of their favorite gaming platform and contribute to the win count without needing to play as Kratos or Master Chief.
Will A Nintendo Character Join The Fray?
While a “Console War” event is purely hypothetical and not confirmed, it would be interesting to see if Epic Games got a Nintendo character involved in the fun. While the Nintendo Switch’s Fortnite cross-play was turned off last year, making any involvement in such an event unlikely, there is still a small chance that a Nintendo character could make an appearance. Fans have already started to theorize about which character could join Fortnite to represent the platform, and the a few big names have been thrown onto the table.
Following the teasers for Kratos and leaks for Master Chief, gamers have been pushing for Metroid’s Samus Aran to appear in Fortnite. While there is currently no evidence behind such an appearance, Samus would undoubtedly be a great fit for such a crossover. Not only would she be a formidable opponent for Master Chief and Kratos, but Nintendo would likely be more approving of her shooting at people than a character like Mario. With the character’s games having a more mature tone and the character’s use of weaponry being a good fit for Fortnite, Samus seems like a perfect choice.
Regardless of whether Nintendo makes an appearance, Fortnite could be setting up an event of unprecedented scale. While Master Chief and Kratos could certainly just be random, fan pleasing Fortnite additions like The Mandalorian, the two leaking alongside each other indicates something bigger. Not only would a Fortnite Console War event lead to free advertising for Epic Games and the platforms involved, but it allows for unique gameplay concepts as well. It opens the door for PlayStation and Xbox crossovers beyond Kratos and Master Chief, and beyond that, it could paint the console war in a more light-hearted way — making one of the most negative aspects of gaming into something positive. With The Game Awards providing the perfect setting for such a huge reveal, as well as the perfectly timed events for the two legendary Spartans, Epic Games could be gearing up for something incredible.
Fortnite is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.