Epic Games have returned Fortnite to the iPhone and iPad App Store in every country except Australia, ending a nearly six-year absence from Apple’s mobile platform. The game went live globally on 19 May 2026, restoring direct iOS downloads for the first time since Apple pulled the title in August 2020 over a payment-rules dispute. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney framed the return as a calculated strike at Apple’s commission structure, writing on X that it marks the “beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide.”

Fortnite is back on the Apple App Store as we head into the final battle of Epic v Apple in court. For years, Apple has fragmented iOS features and fees by territory, taking regulatory negotiating positions in secret, and intentionally delaying the pursuit of justice. https://t.co/9DMuf4SmKO

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 19, 2026

The worldwide rollout is the latest turn in a legal fight that has run since 2020, and Epic timed it to coincide with Apple’s own admission to the U.S. Supreme Court that regulators across the globe are watching how the case is decided.

Why Apple Removed Fortnite in 2020

Fortnite vanished from the App Store in August 2020 after Epic added a direct payment option to the iOS version of the game, deliberately breaking Apple’s rule that all in-app purchases must run through Apple’s own billing system. The change let players buy V-Bucks straight from Epic at a lower price than the App Store version allowed.

Apple removed the title within hours, citing the payment-rules violation. Epic had prepared for the response, and the company filed suit against Apple, opening the Epic v Apple legal battle that has shaped App Store policy ever since. The dispute centred on a single question that still drives the fight in 2026, whether Apple can require developers to use its payment system and the commission attached to it.

The removal cut Fortnite off from one of its largest player bases. iPhone and iPad owners who had not kept the app installed lost any route back to it, and the game stayed off Apple hardware worldwide while the case moved through the courts. That standoff held for years before a series of rulings began to chip away at Apple’s position.

The Court Rulings That Forced Fortnite Back

The path back to iPhones ran through a chain of U.S. court rulings rather than any settlement between the two companies. Fortnite returned to the U.S. App Store in May 2025, almost five years after it was removed, and that reinstatement only happened under direct pressure from the bench.

District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers threatened to require the Apple executive overseeing app approvals to appear in court, a move that effectively forced Apple to clear Fortnite’s return for American players. The decision restored the game for one market but left it blocked everywhere else, as Apple kept the title off the App Store across the rest of the world while it pursued appeals.

The final barrier fell in late April 2026, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a stay that had allowed Apple to pause its compliance with rulings on App Store fees. Lifting that stay removed Apple’s legal cover for keeping Fortnite blocked outside the United States. Within weeks, Epic moved to push the game live in every market it could reach, and the worldwide rollout followed on 19 May 2026.

Epic’s ‘Final Battle’ Against the Apple Tax

Epic has framed the global return as the opening of what it calls the final battle over Apple’s commission, the fee structure the company refers to as the Apple Tax. The timing was chosen with that fight in mind. In filings before the U.S. Supreme Court, Apple acknowledged that “regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States.”

Epic argues that admission works in its favour. The company said it brought Fortnite back now because it is confident that once a U.S. federal court forces Apple to be transparent about how it calculates App Store fees, governments elsewhere will refuse to let what Epic calls junk fees stand. In its official statement, Epic said it will “continue to challenge Apple’s anticompetitive App Store practices of banning alternative app stores and competition in payments.”

The company pointed to regulatory momentum in Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, where lawmakers have passed measures aimed at opening up mobile app distribution. Epic argues the results have fallen short of the intent, saying Apple has “evaded the laws with scare screens, fees and onerous requirements” each time new rules have taken effect. That pattern, in Epic’s telling, is why it expects the U.S. case to carry weight well beyond American borders.

Read More: Fortnite Mobile – How to Download and Play on iPhone and Android | Epic vs Apple – Full Timeline of the App Store Legal Battle

Which iPhones and iPads Can Download Fortnite

With the game restored to the App Store, players on supported Apple devices can download Fortnite directly through the standard “Get” button, with no sideloading or third-party app store required. The game runs on a broad range of recent hardware.

Both core modes are available from launch. Players can drop into the standard Battle Royale mode or the building-free Zero Build mode straight from the App Store version, with no separate download needed for either.

The return also restores Epic’s own payment system inside the app. Players can buy V-Bucks, Fortnite’s in-game currency, through Epic’s direct billing rather than Apple’s, which avoids the markup that Apple’s standard 30 per cent commission would otherwise add to each purchase. That billing choice sits at the centre of the wider dispute, since offering an alternative to Apple’s payment system is the exact practice that had Fortnite removed in 2020.

Why Australia Is Still Blocked

Australia is the one major market where Fortnite has not returned to the App Store. The exclusion is not a technical holdup but a continuation of the same fight playing out everywhere else. Epic won its court case against Apple in Australia, where the Court found that many of Apple’s developer terms are unlawful.

Despite that ruling, Apple has continued to enforce the terms the Court rejected. Epic says it cannot bring Fortnite back to the Australian App Store under what it describes as an illegal payment arrangement, and the company has chosen not to return on those terms. Instead, Epic is asking the Court to order Apple to stop enforcing the conduct already found unlawful.

Until that order arrives, Australian iPhone and iPad owners remain locked out while players in the rest of the world regain access. The Australian case now stands as the next test of whether Epic’s courtroom strategy can deliver the App Store changes the company has spent nearly six years pursuing, with Epic awaiting a ruling that would force Apple to bring its terms into line with the Court’s decision.

The post Fortnite Returns to iPhone App Store Worldwide After Six Years, Australia Still Blocked appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Fortnite Save the World has gone free to play with the launch of Act II of Fortnite Showdown, and Epic Games is marking the moment with a fresh batch of Twitch Drops. Three rewards are up for grabs, including a Legendary Hero exclusive to the PvE mode, but you only have a few days to earn them. Here’s exactly how to link your accounts, what to watch, and how long you need to sit through streams to unlock everything.

What You Can Earn From The Save The World Twitch Drops

There are three rewards tied to this Drops campaign, and each one requires a different amount of accumulated watch time on eligible Fortnite streams. Two of the items can be used in Battle Royale, while the Legendary Hero is locked to Save the World only.

The Legendary Hero is the headline reward here. Heroes from limited Drops campaigns rarely return to the Item Shop, so this is realistically your only window to grab the Urban Assault Headhunter without paying for it later through V-Bucks bundles or trades.

How To Link Your Twitch And Epic Games Accounts

Before any of your watch time counts, your Twitch and Epic Games accounts need to be linked. If you’ve done this for a previous Drops event, it’s still worth disconnecting and reconnecting to make sure the link is active, otherwise progress can silently fail to track.

Step By Step Account Linking

1. Sign in to your Epic Games account on the Epic Games website.
2. Open Account Settings and head to the Linked Accounts section.
3. Find the Twitch icon and click Connect or Link.
4. Sign in to your Twitch account when prompted and authorise the connection.
5. If you’ve linked the two accounts for previous Drops, disconnect and reconnect them to refresh the handshake between the platforms.

Once that’s done, your Twitch viewing activity will be recognised by Epic and your watch time on eligible streams will start banking towards the rewards.

How To Earn The Drops On Twitch

The watch-time requirement is straightforward, but there are a few specific conditions that trip players up every campaign. Battle Royale streams will not count towards these particular Drops, even though they share the Fortnite category.

Find A Save The World Stream With Drops Enabled

1. Open the Fortnite category on Twitch.
2. Filter or scroll for streams playing Save the World specifically, not Battle Royale, OG, or Festival.
3. Look for the Drops Enabled tag on the stream. If it isn’t there, your watch time will not count.
4. Start watching, and keep the stream unmuted in an active browser tab. Twitch occasionally stops tracking progress on muted or background windows.

Claim Your Rewards Once You Hit Each Milestone

1. When you reach a watch-time threshold, Twitch will send a notification that a Drop is ready.
2. Open the Drops and Rewards menu on Twitch and click Claim on each unlocked item. They are not awarded automatically, you have to manually claim them.
3. Claimed items should appear in your Fortnite Locker or Save the World inventory shortly after, though Epic notes it can take up to 24 hours in some cases.

Read More: Fortnite Save the World Is Now Free With a Free Skin to Boot After Nine Years

Known Issue With Drops Not Appearing

Epic Games has acknowledged that some players are not receiving their Twitch Drops even after meeting the watch-time requirements. The team is investigating and working on a fix. If your reward hasn’t shown up in Fortnite within 24 hours of claiming it on Twitch, this is the likely cause, and there’s no workaround beyond waiting for Epic to push the fix server-side. Avoid unlinking your accounts in the middle of an unresolved claim, as this can complicate the eventual delivery.

How Long You Have To Claim Everything

The Drops are live now and the watch-time window is tight. Earning has a hard cut-off, but claiming what you’ve already earned has a slightly longer grace period.

• Earning window: Drops can be earned through watching eligible streams until April 21 at 12 AM ET.
• Claim window: Any rewards you’ve already unlocked remain claimable in your Drops Inventory until April 28.

That gives you roughly four days from launch to clock the full four hours needed for the Legendary Hero. Stacking watch time during long Save the World streams, such as endurance runs or community events, is the most efficient way to bank the hours without babysitting the tab.

Why Epic Is Pushing Save The World Right Now

This Drops campaign is part of a broader push to bring players into Save the World now that the paywall is gone. Epic has also handed out a free Jess skin tied to the mode, and the developers have confirmed more updates are on the way for the long-running PvE experience. For players who never paid into the Founder’s Pack era, this is the most generous on-ramp the mode has ever had, and the Twitch Drops are stacked on top of it as an extra incentive to actually log in and play.

Expect more limited-time cosmetics tied to Save the World as Act II of Fortnite Showdown rolls out, and keep an eye on the Drops tab on Twitch through the rest of the season for similar campaigns.

The post Fortnite Save the World Twitch Drops – How to Claim All Free Rewards Before April 21 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Fortnite looks set to add one of streaming’s most chaotic line-ups to its roster, with fresh leaks claiming a full crossover with Amazon Prime’s The Boys is in active development. The collab is reportedly being lined up for Chapter 7 Season 2, timed to ride alongside the show’s fifth and final season currently airing on Prime Video.

Nothing has been officially announced by Epic Games yet, so this still sits firmly in the leak column. But the sourcing is consistent enough that a Vought takeover of the island feels less like wishful thinking and more like a matter of when, not if.

What The Leaks Actually Say

The first signal came from Fortnite leaker SamLeakss, who posted that the crossover is “confirmed to be in the works” and will most likely drop later this season, with car cosmetics also part of the package. HYPEX has been cited alongside SamLeakss as backing the same claim, which is the main reason the rumour has stuck rather than fading after a single tweet.

THE BOYS x FORTNITE IS CONFIRMED TO BE IN THE WORKS 🔥

Will most likely drop later this season, and should also feature car cosmetics pic.twitter.com/iLMa8huZ65

— Sam (@SamLeakss) April 16, 2026

Neither leaker has shared a concrete release date, a skin list, or any visual assets so far. What’s been put forward is a development confirmation and a rough release window, plus the detail that vehicles will be involved in some form, which is a slightly more specific clue than the usual “skins incoming” leak.

Why The Chapter 7 Season 2 Window Lines Up

The Boys Season 5 is currently airing weekly on Prime Video, with the series finale set for 20 May 2026. That gives Epic a fairly obvious marketing pocket to slot the collab into, with a late May or early June Item Shop release being the most logical landing point if the goal is to capitalise on finale week chatter.

Fortnite has a track record of timing crossovers with major TV and film moments rather than dropping them cold. Aligning a Vought-themed shop refresh with the show’s send-off would be a clean fit, and it matches the loose “later this season” framing in the leaks.

Which Characters Could Get Skins

No skin list has leaked yet, so anything specific is guesswork built off the show’s cast. That said, a collab this size almost never ships with one or two skins, and the obvious anchors are Homelander and Billy Butcher, played by Antony Starr and Karl Urban respectively. From there, the cast opens up quickly.

Likely Picks From The Boys

• Billy Butcher
• Hughie Campbell
• Mother’s Milk

Likely Picks From The Seven And Vought

• Homelander
• Starlight
• A-Train
• The Deep

Back blings, pickaxes and emotes built around show moments are the standard expectation for a crossover at this scale, and the leaked vehicle cosmetics suggest at least one car wrap, and possibly more, themed around either The Boys’ battered vans or Vought’s polished branding.

How A Mature Show Fits A Teen-Rated Game

Fortnite carries a Teen ESRB rating while The Boys is built on graphic violence, gore and adult humour, which makes the pairing look odd on paper. The gap is real, but not unprecedented. Epic has already brought in skins from Saw, Scream and South Park, so the company has a working playbook for stripping the visual identity of an adult property into a form that fits the game’s rating.

In practice, that usually means costume-accurate skins without the show’s gorier flourishes, and emotes that nod to catchphrases or scenes rather than recreating them in full. Expect Homelander’s suit and Butcher’s coat to look right, with the rougher edges of the source material left at the door.

The Boys’ Track Record In Other Games

This wouldn’t be the show’s first jump into a live-service shooter. The Boys has previously crossed over with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Rainbow Six Siege, both of which delivered operator skins, themed weapon blueprints and finishing moves drawn from the show.

Those collabs give a reasonable benchmark for what a Fortnite version might look like in terms of cosmetic depth, although Fortnite’s scope tends to run wider, with map tie-ins, mythic items and limited-time modes often joining the cosmetic drops on bigger crossovers.

What’s Still Missing

The biggest unknowns are the skin roster, the exact release date, and whether the collab will extend beyond the Item Shop into something map-facing or mode-specific. Epic also hasn’t acknowledged the leak, which is normal at this stage but worth flagging for anyone treating the rumour as locked in.

Until a trailer or in-game teaser surfaces, the safest read is that the project exists and is being targeted at the back half of Chapter 7 Season 2, with everything beyond that still open. With the show’s finale just over a month away, the window for an official reveal is narrowing fast.

The post The Boys x Fortnite Crossover Leaked – Homelander, Butcher Skins And Car Cosmetics Tipped For Chapter 7 Season 2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After nearly a decade behind a paywall, Fortnite: Save the World is officially free-to-play. Epic Games flipped the switch on 16 April 2026, opening up the co-op PvE mode that originally launched Fortnite back in 2017, and throwing in a free skin, crossover quests with Battle Royale, and, for the first time, native support on Nintendo Switch 2.

The wait is officially over, it’s time to take the world back.

Discover the game that started it all as you build, loot, and defend against monster hordes. Play solo or squad up, craft powerful gear, and level up your Heroes. Save the World is now Free-to-Play!… pic.twitter.com/9x7SJrCA7j

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) April 16, 2026

Save the World now sits alongside Battle Royale, Zero Build, and the rest of Fortnite’s main modes in the Discovery section of the lobby, available to every Fortnite player at no cost.

What Save The World Actually Is

For anyone who only knows Fortnite as the battle royale phenomenon, Save the World is the game’s original identity. It’s a co-op survival shooter where up to four players take on objective-based missions across destructible open-world maps, building forts, setting traps, and fighting off waves of monsters called Husks.

Players pick from four hero classes, Soldiers, Constructors, Ninjas, and Outlanders, each with their own playstyle. The loop mixes scavenging, crafting, base-building, and combat, with a progression system that rewards levelling up heroes and weapon schematics over time.

It’s a very different game from Battle Royale, closer in spirit to tower defence mashed with a looter-shooter, and it predates the 100-player format that made Fortnite a household name.

How To Claim The Free Skin And Crossover Rewards

To celebrate the free-to-play move, Epic has rolled out a set of crossover quests that link Save the World with Battle Royale, and a handful of rewards up for grabs in both modes.

On the Battle Royale side, players can find the Jess NPC on the island and start a quest chain. Completing three of her quests unlocks the ability to purchase the Super Shredder weapon from her, limited to one per match. Finish 12 of her quests and the Super Shredder schematic becomes available to use in Save the World itself.

The headline reward is the Jess skin, which unlocks after earning 350,000 XP in Save the World. It’s usable across all of Fortnite once unlocked, so even players who only dabble in the PvE mode can carry the cosmetic back into Battle Royale.

Existing and returning Save the World players aren’t left empty-handed either. Epic is handing out thank-you rewards including superchargers, vouchers, and gold to long-time players on the same day the mode went free.

Save The World Platform Availability

The free-to-play launch has also brought Save the World to Nintendo Switch 2, marking the first time the mode has been playable on a Nintendo platform. That’s a notable addition given Save the World’s long-standing absence from the Switch family of systems.

Not every platform made the cut, though. The mode remains unavailable on the original Nintendo Switch, mobile devices, and cloud streaming services. Epic hasn’t indicated any plans to bring Save the World to those platforms, and re-engineering the mode for them would be a significant undertaking.

Here’s the full platform breakdown at launch:

From $40 Flop To Free Mode

Save the World’s journey to free-to-play is a strange one. When Fortnite launched in July 2017, Save the World was the entire game, sold at a $40 price tag with an early access label. Sales were disappointing, and Epic pivoted fast, building a free battle royale mode on top of the same tech in a matter of weeks. That spin-off exploded, eclipsed its parent mode within months, and turned Fortnite into the cultural juggernaut and de facto metaverse it is today.

Save the World, meanwhile, stayed paid, and over the years faded into the background. It kept a committed player base, particularly among those who used it to grind battle pass XP, but it rarely made headlines and received limited content updates compared to Battle Royale’s relentless release cadence.

Dropping the paywall nine years later effectively reframes the mode as a side offering bundled into the free Fortnite ecosystem, rather than a standalone product that has to justify its price tag.

The Bigger Question: What Happens Next

The move opens Save the World up to the biggest audience it’s ever had, but the future of the mode is less clear. Epic conducted major layoffs in March, and maintaining Save the World, let alone expanding it with new story missions, maps, or major features, is resource-intensive work on an ageing codebase.

Whether Epic invests in new content will likely hinge on how many of Fortnite’s hundreds of millions of players actually stick with Save the World now that there’s no cost barrier. A sustained wave of new players could justify fresh development. A quick spike followed by drop-off probably won’t.

For now, the door is open. Anyone with Fortnite installed can boot up Save the World, pick a hero class, and find out whether the mode that started it all still has a place in 2026.

The post Fortnite Save the World Is Now Free With a Free Skin to Boot After Nine Years appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Fortnite’s brainrot skins for Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Ballerina Cappuccina are about to hit the Item Shop, and the community has already made its feelings very clear. Before the skins have even gone on sale, Ballerina Cappuccina has been voted the lowest-rated cosmetic in the entire history of Fortnite on community tracking site Fortnite.gg, sitting at just 6.78% (67, ironic) positive ratings out of 2,619 votes. Tung Tung Tung Sahur fares slightly better at 17.66% from 2,587 votes, but that still places it firmly among the most disliked skins the game has ever seen.

The skins, which were added to the game’s files with the v40.10 update on 1 April and decrypted by dataminers shortly after, are expected to go live in the Item Shop on 3 April at 8 PM ET. But the backlash was already in full swing long before anyone could actually buy them.

The Lowest-Rated Skin in Fortnite History

Ballerina Cappuccina’s 6.78% approval rating is not just low. It is, according to Fortnite.gg’s ranking data, the worst score any skin has ever received on the site, sitting below thousands of other cosmetics including skins that were deliberately review-bombed for unrelated reasons. In a darkly funny coincidence, that rating percentage mirrors the 67 meme that has become inseparable from the brainrot trend itself.

Tung Tung Tung Sahur lands higher at 17.66%, but “less hated” is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Both characters are part of the so-called “Italian Brainrot” meme trend that exploded across TikTok in 2025, featuring AI-generated anthropomorphic characters with text-to-speech narration.

Tung Tung Tung Sahur, also known as Triple T, is an anthropomorphic wooden plank wielding a baseball bat, while Ballerina Cappuccina is a humanoid coffee cup in a tutu. Despite the Italian label, the Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme actually originated in Indonesia, referencing the rhythmic drumbeat used to wake people for sahur, the pre-dawn meal during Ramadan.

A Community Already on Fire

The negative reception is not happening in a vacuum. Fortnite’s playerbase was already frustrated with Epic Games over a series of recent decisions that have eroded goodwill heading into Chapter 7 Season 2. The company laid off over 1,000 employees, including the designer behind Fortnite’s most recognisable character, Jonesy. Fans were further angered when reports emerged that one of the laid-off employees was terminally ill and lost their life insurance as a result.

Epic also increased V-Bucks prices, and reports surfaced that the company was paying millions of dollars for creator maps like Steal a Brainrot while cutting staff. Branded collaborations that would normally generate excitement were instead reframed by fans as wasteful spending. “They did not deserve that much money, that money could have been used on better things,” Fortnite influencer SypherPK said during a late March livestream, referring to monetised user-created maps.

Read More: Tim Sweeney Responds As Epic Free Games Boost Steam Sales And Ignite Storefront Debate

Read More: Addicted Gamer Sues Fortnite and Minecraft Over Video Game Addiction

Why AI-Generated Skins Hit a Nerve

The brainrot characters are not from a traditional entertainment franchise. They are memes built almost entirely with generative AI, and that distinction matters to a large portion of the Fortnite community. While the actual Fortnite skins themselves were modelled by Epic’s artists, the source material is AI-generated, and for fans who just watched over a thousand human developers lose their jobs, the optics are grim.

“One thousand people lost their jobs for this,” reads one popular Reddit post featuring a brainrot character holding up the 6-7 meme.

Commenters acknowledged that Epic likely planned these collaborations well in advance, but the critique was never meant to be literal. For these fans, releasing AI-born characters while reducing the human workforce felt like a statement about where Epic’s priorities lie, intentional or not.

Criticism of Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has also intensified, with fans pointing to the billions spent on legal battles against Apple and Google, which included deliberately getting Fortnite removed from the iOS App Store for four years.

Fans Vow to Hunt Brainrot Players In-Game

The community response has gone beyond negative ratings. Across Reddit and social media, players are pledging to target and eliminate anyone wearing the brainrot skins in matches. In a season themed around picking sides in a factional war, fans say they are setting rivalries aside to unite against what they are calling “Team Brainrot.” Others are urging each other not to spend V-Bucks on the skins at all, with some threatening to drop the game entirely.

Whether that translates into a real impact on Epic’s bottom line is another question. According to Fortnite.gg, April’s peak player count is currently sitting at roughly half of what it was at the same point last year. The month is still young, and Epic has updates in the pipeline including a Toy Story collaboration and the long-awaited Arenas mode arriving on 9 April. But if brainrot skins were divisive enough to push frustrated players over the edge, it may take more than upcoming crossovers to bring them back.

What the Brainrot Set Includes

The full Brainrot cosmetic set consists of seven items, based on dataminer decryptions from the v40.10 update files. Each skin can be purchased individually or as part of a discounted bundle. Epic has not confirmed official pricing, but estimates based on standard bundle discount structures suggest the following:

Some outlets have speculated that Epic could price the set lower than usual given that the characters are not tied to a major intellectual property. The skins also come with meme-inspired emotes, including the 6-7 gesture.

Brainrot’s Popularity Versus Its Reception

The irony of the backlash is that brainrot content is demonstrably popular within Fortnite itself. The Steal the Brainrot creative map is one of the most-played user-created experiences in the game, consistently pulling hundreds of thousands of players. That engagement is almost certainly why Epic pursued the collaboration in the first place.

But there is a gap between enjoying brainrot memes in a free creative map and paying 1,500 V-Bucks for an AI-derived skin during a period of mass layoffs and price increases. For the most vocal portion of Fortnite’s community, the brainrot skins have become a symbol of everything they feel has gone wrong with Epic’s direction, regardless of whether the collaboration was planned months ago. Whether the silent majority votes differently with their wallets when the skins actually go live remains to be seen.

The post Fortnite Brainrot Ballerina Cappucina and Tung Tung Tung Sahur Skins Arrive to Record-Low Ratings and a Full-Blown Fan Revolt appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The long-rumoured Fortnite Toy Story collaboration has finally started to take shape, with encrypted files from the 1 April patch confirming Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg as the first two skins tied to the crossover.

Dataminer ShiinaBR revealed that Buzz and Zurg will debut as Showdown Cup skins through a “Buzz vs Zurg” tournament, giving players a shot at earning both outfits before they hit the Item Shop. The three-eyed Aliens from the franchise are also joining the game as a Sidekick cosmetic.

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR & ZURG ARE SHOWDOWN CUP SKINS

“Buzz vs Zurg” pic.twitter.com/OAIWz9ZWGv

— Shiina (@ShiinaBR) April 1, 2026

This collab has been on the radar since early March, when leakers FNBRintel and SamLeakss first reported that Toy Story characters were headed to Fortnite. The April update has now added the hard files to back those claims up.

FORTNITE X TOY STORY SOON! 🔥

Skins: Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Zurg! pic.twitter.com/S8OOsDBJqG

— FNBRintel (@FNBRintel) March 8, 2026

Buzz Lightyear And Zurg Are Showdown Cup Rewards

Both skins will be available first through the Buzz vs Zurg Showdown Cup, following the same format Epic Games used for the recent Game of Thrones crossover. In that event, players competed in the Jon Snow Cup and Night King Cup on 20 March to earn free skins before they appeared in the Item Shop later that day.

Showdown Cups are solo tournaments that run for a few hours, with the top-placing players in each region earning the featured cosmetics at no cost. Everyone else can purchase the skins separately from the Item Shop once the cup wraps up.

The structure here suggests Buzz and Zurg will be sold individually rather than bundled into a larger Toy Story takeover event. Based on typical collab pricing, each skin is likely to cost around 1,500 V-Bucks.

Three-Eyed Aliens Arriving As A Sidekick

Alongside the two headline skins, the encrypted files also revealed that the iconic three-eyed Aliens will be added as a Sidekick cosmetic. Sidekicks were introduced last year as a way to bring collab characters into Fortnite when a full skin doesn’t quite work, usually because of size or proportions.

The Aliens join a growing roster of Sidekick characters that already includes SpongeBob SquarePants and Baby Groot. Given how small the Aliens are relative to the main Toy Story cast, they’re a natural fit for the companion slot.

Earlier Leaks Pointed To Woody And A Pizza Planet Car

The skins uncovered in today’s patch aren’t the full picture. Back on 8 March, FNBRintel first reported that Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Zurg would all receive skins as part of the crossover. SamLeakss followed up on 18 March with additional details, including a Pizza Planet Car vehicle cosmetic and one or two Sidekicks.

TOY STORY x FORTNITE – EARLY SEASON 2 🔥

– Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Zorg Outfits
– 1/2 Sidekicks
– Pizza Planet Car
– and more info soon!!

(Skin info via @FNBRintel) pic.twitter.com/DvJ2JxfMOS

— Sam (@SamLeakss) March 18, 2026

Woody’s skin has not appeared in the encrypted files from this update, which could mean his outfit is being held back for a separate release or a later patch. The Pizza Planet Car, a vehicle that shows up as an Easter egg in nearly every Pixar film, was also flagged in the earlier leaks as a cosmetic for both Battle Royale and Rocket Racing.

Epic Games has not officially announced the Toy Story collaboration or confirmed any of these items.

Timing Lines Up With Toy Story 5

The crossover lands ahead of Toy Story 5, which is set to release in cinemas on 19 June 2026. Disney is a major shareholder in Epic Games, and the two companies have been steadily ramping up their collaboration efforts throughout Chapter 7.

Recent Disney-adjacent additions to Fortnite include Tom Lizard from Pixar’s Hoppers, Disney Tsum Tsum back blings, and the Game of Thrones crossover that launched alongside Chapter 7 Season 2. Toy Story follows that same promotional playbook, building hype for an upcoming film through one of the biggest live-service games on the market.

The franchise spans three decades of films, and bringing its characters into a battle royale setting does raise the obvious tonal contrast of family-friendly toys running around with weapons. That said, Fortnite crossed that bridge a long time ago with characters like Mr. Incredible and SpongeBob, and it hasn’t slowed down the collab machine.

No Official Announcement Yet

Everything uncovered so far comes from encrypted patch files and trusted dataminers. Epic has not confirmed when the Buzz vs Zurg Showdown Cup will take place or when the skins will arrive in the Item Shop.

Given how quickly the Game of Thrones skins moved from encrypted files to a live tournament, though, the Toy Story drop could follow a similar timeline. Keep an eye on Fortnite’s competitive tab for when the cup goes live.

The post Fortnite Toy Story Collab Leaked Buzz Lightyear, Zurg Skins and Aliens Sidekick Confirmed appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Epic Games has confirmed a major round of layoffs, with more than 1,000 employees set to lose their jobs as the company responds to declining Fortnite engagement and wider industry challenges.

In a message sent to staff and later shared publicly, CEO Tim Sweeney said the decision comes after a financial imbalance that began in 2025, with Epic “spending significantly more than we’re making.” The cuts are part of a broader effort to stabilise the company’s finances, alongside more than US$500 million in cost reductions across contracting, marketing, and unfilled roles.

Fortnite Engagement Decline Triggers Major Cuts

According to Sweeney, the downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 has been a key driver behind the layoffs. While Fortnite remains one of the most successful games globally, Epic has struggled to consistently deliver the kind of seasonal updates that keep players returning long-term.

Sweeney acknowledged that maintaining “Fortnite magic” every season has proven difficult, which has directly impacted player retention and, ultimately, revenue. That gap between spending and earnings is what forced Epic into making large-scale cuts.

The layoffs affect over 1,000 employees, making this one of the biggest job reductions in the gaming industry in recent years.

Industry Pressures And Epic’s Own Challenges

Epic pointed to a mix of broader industry trends and internal hurdles behind the decision. On the wider side, the company cited slower growth across gaming, weaker consumer spending, and tougher cost structures.

There are also shifting player habits to contend with. Games are now competing not just with each other, but with other forms of entertainment that are becoming increasingly engaging and time-consuming.

At the same time, some of Epic’s challenges are more specific. The company is still in the early stages of bringing Fortnite back to mobile platforms at scale, and is working to optimise the game for a global smartphone audience.

Sweeney also referenced Epic’s long-term strategy of pushing industry change, which has involved taking risks that have not yet fully paid off.

Layoffs Not Related To AI, Says Sweeney

Sweeney made a point of addressing a common assumption around job cuts in tech, stating clearly that the layoffs are not tied to artificial intelligence.

He explained that, if anything, improvements in productivity through technology would ideally allow Epic to support more developers creating games and tools, not fewer. The current cuts are instead tied directly to financial pressures and restructuring.

What Affected Employees Will Receive

Epic says impacted staff will receive severance packages that include at least four months of base pay, with additional compensation based on tenure.

For employees in the United States, the company will also provide six months of paid healthcare coverage. Stock options will be accelerated through January 2027, and workers will have up to two years to exercise their equity.

Sweeney described the layoffs as “very painful,” emphasising that Epic prides itself on hiring top talent and that the decision was not taken lightly.

Not The First Major Layoff At Epic

This isn’t the first time Epic Games has made large-scale cuts. Back in 2023, the company laid off around 830 employees, showing that the current situation is part of a longer period of restructuring.

Sweeney compared the current moment to previous turning points in Epic’s history, including the transition to 3D gaming in the 1990s, the move into console development with Gears of War, and the shift to online gaming with Fortnite.

However, he noted that current market conditions are among the most extreme the company has faced, combining both significant risk and potential opportunity.

What Comes Next For Epic Games

Looking ahead, Epic plans to focus heavily on improving Fortnite’s seasonal content, including gameplay, story, and live events, in an effort to rebuild engagement.

The company is also working on evolving its development ecosystem, moving from Unreal Engine 5 and Unreal Editor for Fortnite towards Unreal Engine 6, with a stronger emphasis on stability and capability for creators.

Sweeney hinted at “huge launch plans” later in the year, suggesting that Epic is aiming for a major reset moment as it tries to position itself for the next phase of the gaming industry.

The post Epic Games Layoffs Hit 1,000 Employees As Fortnite Engagement Drops appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After years of back-and-forth, Fortnite is officially returning to Google Play worldwide on March 19, marking a major shift for Android players who’ve been dealing with workarounds since 2020.

No matter where you are, we’ve got you covered. Fortnite is back on Google Play.

Available everywhere Thursday, March 19. pic.twitter.com/gy9MCIstXx

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) March 17, 2026

Epic Games confirmed the news directly, stating that Fortnite will once again be available through the Google Play Store globally, not just in limited regions like the United States.

Fortnite Finally Back On Google Play Worldwide

For Android users, this is a pretty big quality-of-life upgrade.

Since being removed from Google Play in 2020, players have had to either sideload the game through the Epic Games Store app or rely on cloud streaming services. While those options worked, they were never as simple or seamless as installing directly from Google Play.

With the March 19 relaunch, Fortnite will once again be available through the standard storefront everywhere, removing one of the biggest barriers to entry on Android.

Epic’s announcement also highlights that the global rollout is happening all at once, meaning no regional delays this time around.

Why Fortnite Was Removed In The First Place

This whole situation goes back to 2020, when Epic Games deliberately bypassed Google’s in-app billing system.

By doing that, Epic avoided Google’s revenue cut, which was originally around 30 percent on in-app purchases. Google responded by removing Fortnite from the Play Store, triggering the long-running legal battle known as Epic v Google.

That case eventually led to a major ruling, where a jury found that Google had violated antitrust laws related to Android app distribution and billing practices. The court also upheld an injunction tied to those findings, reinforcing Epic’s position that Google’s ecosystem had been too restrictive.

Epic consistently argued that Google used its dominance to limit competition and make it harder for alternative app stores to succeed.

What Changed Between Epic And Google

The turning point came with a settlement between Epic Games and Google in late 2025.

As part of the resolution, Google also adjusted its revenue share model, lowering its cut on in-app purchases to somewhere between 10 and 20 percent instead of the previous 30 percent. Around the same time, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed that Fortnite would return to the Play Store.

Interestingly, reports suggest Sweeney also agreed to limit public criticism of Google Play as part of the deal, signalling that both sides were ready to move on after years of conflict.

The timing also lines up with other recent Fortnite changes. Epic has already confirmed a price increase for V-Bucks, the game’s in-game currency, which is expected to roll out around the same period. While not directly tied to the Google Play return, it shows Epic is making broader adjustments to its monetisation strategy as Fortnite expands back onto major mobile storefronts.

What This Means For Android Players

From a player perspective, this is all about convenience and accessibility.

Even though Fortnite never fully disappeared from Android, having it back on Google Play makes installation, updates, and general maintenance far easier. For casual players especially, sideloading an APK was always a friction point, even if Epic is a trusted developer.

There’s also a strong chance Fortnite will quickly climb back up the Play Store charts. Historically, the game has been one of the most downloaded titles whenever it’s available through official storefronts, which could bring in a fresh wave of players.

The timing is also notable, with Fortnite’s return aligning with a new season launch, giving returning and new players a clear entry point.

A Bigger Moment Than It Looks

This isn’t just about Fortnite being easier to download.

The resolution between Epic and Google represents one of the most significant outcomes in the ongoing debate around app store control, revenue cuts, and developer freedom. Combined with Epic’s earlier legal battles with Apple, the ripple effects are already being felt across the industry.

For now though, most players will just care about one thing, being able to install Fortnite on Android without jumping through hoops again.

And come March 19, that’s exactly what’s happening.

The post Fortnite Returns To Google Play Store Globally March 19 After Epic vs Google Settlement appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you’ve ever wondered why massive games like Roblox and Minecraft seem to live in their own universe, new data suggests that’s not just a feeling, it’s actually backed by research.

A recent report from Newzoo reveals that Roblox and Minecraft players are far less likely to engage with traditional AAA games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows or Ghost of Yōtei, highlighting a growing divide in how different audiences approach gaming.

Newzoo Data Shows Minimal Overlap With AAA Titles

Speaking at GDC’s Festival of Gaming, Newzoo’s director of consulting Ben Porter explained that players from Roblox and Minecraft don’t cross over much into what the industry typically considers “premium” or “traditional” games.

According to the data, Roblox players are about 0.4 times as likely to play titles like Monster Hunter Wilds compared to the average console player. That stat specifically applies to PlayStation and Xbox ecosystems, where AAA titles tend to dominate.

Image Credit: NewZoo

The same pattern appears across other major releases. Minecraft players are among the least likely to pick up games like Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Borderlands 4, Ghost of Yōtei, NBA 2K26, and EA Sports Madden NFL 26.

For Roblox players, the list is similar, including Monster Hunter Wilds, Borderlands 4, Alan Wake 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and again, Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Live Service Games Still Dominate Player Overlap

While AAA single-player games struggle to pull in these audiences, the same can’t be said for live service titles.

Newzoo’s data shows strong overlap between Roblox and Minecraft players and some of the biggest multiplayer games on the market. Fortnite leads the pack, with a 55 percent overlap with Roblox players and 46 percent with Minecraft players.

Grand Theft Auto V follows with 28 percent overlap for Roblox and 25 percent for Minecraft, while Call of Duty sits at 26 percent and 22 percent respectively.

That pattern lines up with what many players already experience, these audiences tend to stick with social, repeatable, and constantly updated games rather than one-off narrative experiences.

Graphics Are No Longer The Main Draw

One of the more interesting takeaways from the report is how much player priorities have shifted over the past decade.

Porter noted that chasing cutting-edge graphics is no longer the defining factor of success. Instead, the most popular games globally are often those with simpler visuals but stronger social or creative hooks.

Roblox is a clear example of this trend. Its playtime reportedly grew around 50 percent year over year, driven heavily by viral player-created experiences like Steal a Brainrot and Grow a Garden.

These aren’t high-fidelity, cinematic games, but they don’t need to be. Their appeal comes from creativity, accessibility, and community-driven gameplay.

Younger Players May Be Shaping The Future Of Gaming

Another key factor behind this divide is demographics.

Roblox and Minecraft audiences skew younger, often falling into a time-rich but cash-poor category. That makes them less likely to spend money on full-priced AAA releases, especially when free-to-play alternatives offer endless replayability.

Newzoo also suggests that these early gaming habits could shape long-term preferences. For many players, Roblox or Minecraft isn’t just another game, it’s their first real gaming experience.

That raises an important question for the industry, whether these players will eventually transition to traditional AAA titles as they get older, or stick with the kinds of games they grew up with.

Some Crossover Exists In Similar-Style Games

Despite the overall divide, there are still pockets of overlap outside of live service giants.

Newzoo found that Roblox players are more likely than average to engage with games like Gang Beasts, Among Us, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator. These titles share a similar design philosophy, focusing on sandbox-style chaos, social interaction, or emergent gameplay.

Even then, Porter noted that this group represents a relatively small portion of overall player behaviour, reinforcing how distinct these ecosystems have become.

Industry Faces A Long-Term Shift In Player Behaviour

The bigger picture here is what this means for the future of gaming.

If younger players continue to favour sandbox and live service experiences over traditional AAA games, the industry could see a long-term shift in where time and money are spent.

Newzoo’s broader report already hints at change, predicting that PC revenue will overtake console by 2028, alongside the first significant market expansion since the pandemic slowdown.

At the same time, not everyone agrees that AAA games are at risk. Former Sony Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden previously suggested that player tastes naturally evolve with age, meaning younger audiences could still “graduate” into more traditional experiences later on.

For now though, the data paints a clear picture, Roblox and Minecraft players aren’t just playing different games, they’re shaping a different kind of gaming culture entirely.

The post Roblox And Minecraft Players Less Likely To Play AAA Games, Newzoo Study Finds appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Epic Games has confirmed a Fortnite V-Bucks price increase, with players receiving fewer V-Bucks for the same amount of money starting March 19, 2026. The change affects every major purchase tier in Fortnite’s virtual currency system, alongside adjustments to the Battle Pass, other seasonal passes, and the Fortnite Crew subscription.

Epic explained the decision directly in its announcement, saying that the cost of running Fortnite has increased significantly and that the pricing adjustments are intended to help cover those operational costs.

Fortnite V-Bucks Packs Are Shrinking Across All Tiers

The biggest change is to Fortnite’s V-Bucks bundles. Starting March 19, players will receive fewer V-Bucks in each pack even though the price of the bundles themselves remains the same.

Here is how the bundles are changing:

Epic also confirmed that the “exact amount” option for buying small amounts of currency is increasing in price. Previously, players could purchase 50 V-Bucks for roughly $0.50. Under the new system, that same amount will cost $0.99.

Existing Fortnite V-Bucks gift cards are not affected by the update and will continue to redeem at their printed value.

Epic Rewards Credits Offer Partial Cashback

At the same time, Epic is highlighting its Epic Rewards system as a way to offset some of the cost.

Players who make purchases using Epic’s payment system on PC, iOS, Android, web, or through the Epic Games Store will receive 20 percent back in Epic Rewards credit. That credit can later be used on Fortnite purchases, other Epic titles such as Fall Guys or Rocket League, or games on the Epic Games Store.

This reward only applies when purchases are made through Epic’s own payment system rather than third-party storefronts.

Battle Pass Rewards Structure Is Changing

The upcoming Battle Pass for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 is also being reworked.

The price of the Battle Pass is dropping from 1,000 V-Bucks to 800. However, the total amount of V-Bucks players can earn from completing it is also being reduced.

Previously, players could earn back 1,000 V-Bucks from the pass itself and an additional 500 through Bonus Rewards. Under the new structure, completing the Battle Pass will award exactly 800 V-Bucks, with the Bonus Rewards V-Bucks removed entirely.

The Battle Bundle option, which includes the Battle Pass and the first 25 levels unlocked instantly, is also decreasing in cost from 2,800 V-Bucks to 2,600.

OG, Music And LEGO Pass Prices Are Adjusted

Other Fortnite passes are changing as well.

Starting with their next release cycle, the OG Pass will cost 800 V-Bucks instead of 1,000. Meanwhile, the Music Pass and LEGO Pass will both decrease from 1,400 V-Bucks to 1,200.

Although those passes appear cheaper on paper, the reduced value of V-Bucks means the overall purchasing power of the currency is still shifting.

Fortnite Crew Monthly V-Bucks Are Being Reduced

The Fortnite Crew subscription is also being updated.

Subscribers previously received 1,000 V-Bucks each month as part of their membership benefits. Going forward, the monthly grant will decrease to 800 V-Bucks.

Epic says Fortnite Crew members will receive emails explaining when the changes will apply in their region.

Epic Points To Rising Costs For The Change

Epic Games has been clear about the reason behind the pricing adjustments.

In its official statement, the company said the cost of operating Fortnite has increased and that the updated pricing structure helps support the ongoing development and operation of the game.

The broader gaming industry has also seen rising costs in recent years, with new game prices gradually moving toward US$80 and hardware prices increasing in several regions.

Epic Games Store general manager Steve Allison previously acknowledged that the Epic Games Store operates with relatively thin profit margins due to revenue splits on third-party games and the ongoing cost of its free game promotion programme.

Developer Response To Community Criticism

The announcement triggered debate within the Fortnite community, particularly among players who regularly buy cosmetics or complete every seasonal pass.

Some players argued that the in-game Item Shop appears to receive more attention than gameplay updates. Responding to those comments on X, Epic Games Senior Director of Ecosystem Growth Andre Balta said that the criticism “hits really hard” and does not reflect how the team prioritises development.

Hey @LEGOMoonNite – Seeing comments like “the Item Shop is the main focus instead of the game” hits me really hard. It’s not the impression we want to give nor how we focus our efforts. We put a ton of work and care into Fortnite’s gameplay and this focus is only growing. Paying… https://t.co/1ibGyvFBag

— Andre Balta (@AndreBaltaEpic) March 10, 2026

Balta added that the team continues to focus heavily on Fortnite’s gameplay and that maintaining the financial side of the game allows developers to keep building new experiences and stories for players.

When The Fortnite V-Bucks Price Increase Begins

The new Fortnite V-Bucks pricing structure takes effect on March 19, 2026.

The change arrives alongside the launch window for Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 after server maintenance concludes. Once the update goes live, all new V-Bucks purchases will reflect the updated bundle values.

For players planning to buy V-Bucks, the current bundles remain available until the update takes effect.

The post Fortnite V-Bucks Price Increase Confirmed, Players Get Fewer V-Bucks From March 19 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.