Halloween is approaching, Nightmares are landing in Fortnite

The month of October is associated with Halloween. Every year, several publishers update their games specifically to include content related to this folkloric celebration. This is notably the case with Epic Games. This year will be no exception to the rule as Fortnite welcomes its Nightmares update. Get ready for Fortnitemares 2026, which will allow you to encounter Freddy Krueger, Beetlejuice, and other characters from Hazbin Hotel or Obsession.

Nothing better than the thrill of fear

Every year, it's the same routine. The night of October 31 to November 1 is marked by the celebration of Halloween. In addition to children collecting candy and trying to avoid tricks, the spirit of this folkloric celebration takes over several universes. Some people particularly enjoy watching a few horror films or series, in a cozy atmosphere, nestled at the back of the couch with a blanket over their legs. In the video game world, several publishers introduce so-called spooky content. On the side of Epic Games, it's an opportunity to launch Fortnitemares. In other words, Nightmares are landing in the game to give you chills.  

Rather than settling for a weekend or at least a handful of festive days, the publisher takes advantage of the entire month to unleash corruption on the Battle Royale mode, bring back the Horde Rush mode, and update the Reload mode. This results in the integration of characters from famous horror franchises, additional weapons and loot, and the addition of hacked cursed cartridges. Indeed, the development studio is keen to stay in line with the theme of the current Season, known as System Hacked.

Boo! Stay awake and face your worst nightmares

Thus, throughout the month, we can expect to encounter characters from Five Nights at Freddy's, Hazbin Hotel, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Beetlejuice, Obsession, and more. Moreover, if you want to obtain Freddy's nightmare claws, you will have to earn them. In other words, you will have to face him, who is nestled in Freaky Fields, the new point of interest Nightmare Neighborhood. Of course, once obtained, you will have every opportunity to slash enemies. As a bonus, they even allow you to teleport within range of these enemies. This provides a significant tactical advantage. In addition to the pumpkin launcher, a classic, you can also retrieve the Bonerattler submachine gun. It is a weapon of choice that allows you to spot enemies through walls. 

On the hacks side, we are entitled to a small adaptation of the system to match the period. Indeed, for Fortnitemares 2026, players will activate hacked cursed cartridges. It will be an opportunity to become invisible while sprinting, disguise yourself as Halloween props, or compensate for a drop in health points by dealing more damage. The ultimate is to succeed in possessing an animatronic boss from Five Nights at Freddy's, after defeating it of course. Once this is done, the person who succeeds will become the nightmare of others. 

As it is important to regularly renew the content to invite everyone to play as often as possible, new features will be released throughout the month. In addition to the return of the temporary Horde Assault mode, October 8 will be a key date as it will mark the arrival of an updated version of Nightmare Island in Recharge with the Stranger Things and Squid Grounds maps.

Finally, the shop will not be left out as Epic Games plans to add several outfits and accessories from numerous franchises. In addition to those already mentioned in our columns, there will be Slender Man, American Nightmare, Predator: Badlands, and even Halloween Horror Nights. As for those who love Five Nights at Freddy's, they can already visit the shop to get dilapidated outfits. 

Cover and article images: Epic Games®