Epic Games has disabled the Peacemaker dance emote in Fortnite following concerns that the move could be linked to controversial symbolism.
The emote, officially called Peaceful Hips, was part of a collaboration with DC’s Peacemaker, inspired by John Cena’s quirky dance sequences in the show’s intros. It was introduced to the game alongside the release of Peacemaker Season 2, currently streaming on Max.
Peacemaker’s dance emote from Fortnite has been disabled.
“As we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote. Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days.” pic.twitter.com/hwHqOiid1o
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 28, 2025
However, soon after its release, fans began pointing out similarities between the dance and imagery tied to Nazi symbolism. The discussion gained traction after Episode 6 of Peacemaker Season 2 revealed a shocking alternate-dimension storyline involving a Nazi victory and heavy use of swastika imagery. Some viewers theorised that the dance move itself might have been a subtle nod to this plot twist.
Image Credit: DC
While not everyone saw the resemblance, the speculation was enough for Epic to act. In a statement shared online, the company said:
“As we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote. Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days.”
The sudden removal has divided the Fortnite community. Some players argue Epic overreacted to unconfirmed fan theories, pointing out that they paid for the emote and should not lose access to content. Others supported the decision, saying that even the risk of featuring a dance that could be interpreted as referencing hate symbols was too high for a game with such a large and young audience.
There’s also been speculation that miscommunication between Warner Bros., Epic Games, and Peacemaker creator James Gunn contributed to the situation. Gunn has been famously secretive about the latter episodes of Season 2, with only a handful of people previewing the scripts ahead of release. This secrecy may have left Epic unaware of the narrative direction before introducing the emote.
Fans have suggested alternatives, including replacing Peaceful Hips with the Season 1 intro dance, which many consider iconic and far less open to misinterpretation. Some are also calling for Epic to offer additional compensation beyond refunds.
As of now, the emote remains disabled, and it looks unlikely it will return. Refunds are expected to roll out automatically over the coming days.