Since its inception, Fortnite has been in constant flux. This rang true early on with the free-to-play Fortnite: Battle Royale mode which quickly became the center of attention back in 2017. That popular mode would go on to evolve with themed seasons, changes to the map, world-ending events, and new game modes – most of which were probably missed by players who decided that Fortnite’s cartoonish visuals and unique building system weren’t for them earlier on.
To be fair, even long-term fans have a tough time keeping up with all of Fortnite’s updates and changes. With every major event comes a flood of new reasons for players to return to the island. Whether it’s a new narrative thread depicting the inner workings of The Agency or a giant Travis Scott stomping about the island, these events are usually captivating regardless of a person’s stance on the game as a whole. Because of this, we decided to get everyone up to speed by sharing some of Fortnite’s most memorable moments.
The Blast Off Event – Chapter 1, Season 4 (June 30th, 2018)
Fornite’s Blast Off Event was the first major in-game occurrence. Foreshadowed for weeks, the event was a culmination of lore surrounding a mysterious character called The Visitor. What really made the event memorable though was seeing a rocket ship create a massive crack in the sky above Loot Lake on the island. This crack stayed present in Fortnite for a month or so, resulting in multiple environmental changes and odd occurrences.
The Butterfly Event – Chapter 1, Season 6 (Nov. 4th, 2018)
Set off by the crack from The Blast Off Event, The Butterfly Event kicked off with the appearance of Kevin The Cube. This extra-dimensional object roamed about the map, imprinting strange runes until it finally submerged itself into Loot Lake. When Kevin returned, it was alongside a floating island to collect the power from those runes, eventually returning to the lake and opening a massive rift that sent players to a place that connects all realities in Fortnite called The In-Between. There, players were greeted with a butterfly that would return them to a changed island featuring a new version of Leaky Lake. It was a trippy experience, to say the least.
The Ice Storm – Chapter 1, Season 7 (January 19th, 2019)
Fortnite’s Ice Storm event started after a mysterious Ice Sphere appeared on top of Polar Peak. Every TV on the island broadcasted a countdown but no one knew what it meant. Threats of an impending storm were all they had to go on. Once the countdown hit zero, an Ice King escaped from the ice sphere, using the fragments of Kevin The Cube to transform into a giant. It was at this point that the Ice King used his newfound power to cover the entire Fortnite map in snow and ice.
The Showtime Event – Chapter 1, Season 7 (February 2nd, 2019)
Fortnite’s Showtime Event was the first time a video game held a live, virtual concert. Headlined by EDM artist Marshmello, the 10-minute show was viewed in-game by over 10 million players around the world. There was no looting, shooting, winning, or losing. Just players rocking out with each other in Pleasant Park. Epic made sure to spice things up with some visual effects and low gravity.
The Unvaulting – Chapter 1, Season 8 (May 5th, 2019)
The Unvaulting was exciting because it gave Fortnite players a bit of agency. It started when a giant vault opened up at Loot Lake. Players that entered were taken to the In-Between where they could vote on a weapon for Epic Games to add back into the game. Players hit pillars that contained the vaulted items until one of them broke and an item was freed. The notorious Drum Gun ultimately won the vote, balancing be damned.
The unvaulting didn’t come without consequence, however. The event was shortly followed by the eruption of a volcano that destroyed parts of the island.
The Final Showdown – Chapter 1, Season 9 (July 20th, 2019)
The Final Showdown was easily one of the best Fortnite Chapter 1 events. Players got to witness a fight between a Voltron-styled robot from Pressure Plant called Mecha and a Kaiju-like monster. Laser blasts, rockets, and body slams from the battling mammoths tore up the island while players watched in-game via jetpack.
At first, the fight seemed evenly matched. That was until the monster ripped off one of Mecha’s arms. Mecha ultimately won, however, ending the skirmish by using the statue from Neo Tilted as a giant sword and stabbing the monster directly in the eye. Mecha then did the Floss and took off into space.
The End – Chapter 1, Season X (October 13th, 2019)
The End was Fortnite’s last Chapter 1 event. So, it would make sense for Epic Games to go all out. The event started with the rocket from Dusty Depot taking off and entering a rift high above the map. Before long there were several more rifts and seven rockets flying through the sky. The rockets would end up circling a frozen meteor over Factory, causing it and the rockets to enter another rift before crashing into the center of reality in Fortnite’s universe, the Zero Point. The Zero Point eventually turned into a giant, black hole that sucked in the entire game and left behind a dark void.
It seemed like the end of Fortnite, but The End was only the beginning. It was a fun way for the developers to take the downtime needed to patch in Chapter 2. That said, it was also one of the most memorable events in Fortnite’s history.
Live at Risky – Chapter 2, Season 1 (December 14th, 2019)
Live at Risky was a promotion for the then-upcoming movie, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. It featured an in-game space battle between the Millenium Falcon and a star destroyer, an exclusive clip of the film, and a brief press conference hosted by Geoff Keighley and J.J. Abrams.
The most notable moment from Live at Risky was towards the end. Emperor Palpatine's voice boomed across the island as he delivered a monologue about the Sith’s return to power. When he finished, players were given lightsabers and, you guessed it, a battle royale ensued.
Astronomical – Chapter 2, Season 2 (April 23rd, 2020)
Marshmello might have ushered in the first in-game virtual concert but Travis Scott’s Astronomical event was something else entirely. What made it so memorable was its surreal nature. A giant Travis Scott marched around as Sicko Mode boomed in the background. Players were transported to wondrous places as an amusement park floated nearby, meteors soared past, neon lights lit up the sky, and the entire island flooded with water. Astronomical was truly a treat for the senses.
Diplo Concert/Party Royale Premiere – Chapter 2, Season 2 (May 21st, 2020)
The Diplo concert and Party Royale Premiere were the first major events to take place in Fortnite’s Party Royale mode. Both concerts took place at the Main Stage, a space resembling a theater where players congregated to watch the sets on a big screen. The Party Royale Premiere itself featured a multi-part concert performed by deadmau5, Dillon Francis, and Steve Aoki, and like most EDM shows, was filled with plenty of flashing lights and neon. These events marked the official launch of the evolving social space now known as the Party Royale game mode in Fortnite.
The Device – Chapter 2, Season 2 (June 15th, 2020)
The Device was another one of Fortnite’s more story-driven events. A spy base called The Agency was blown up, revealing a storm-altering superweapon called the Doomsday Device. This device was built to control the storm in hopes of stopping the mysterious force that prevents Fortnite’s islanders from escaping the endless battle royale nightmare, also known as the Loop.
The device worked at first, pushing the storm back and clearing the skies over the island. At that time, players were sent to an office seemingly located outside the Loop. That's where they met Agent Jones, an important character that would return in future Fortnite events. Unfortunately, the plan to escape the island failed and players were sent back to the island where a wall of water had replaced the storm. This tsunami would go on to destroy several parts of the map.
We The People – Chapter 2, Season 3 (July 4th & July 28th, 2020)
We The People was the first time Epic Games used Fortnite as a platform for positive change. Presented by ØPUS UNITED in support of Black Lives Matter, We The People was a series of conversations featuring prominent voices from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Guest speakers included Elaine Welteroth, Jemele Hill, Bun B, and Jalen Rose, to name a few.
The first event addressed the systemic racism that can be found in various forms of entertainment. The second event dove into Black voter suppression. Viewers were educated on the issues and encouraged to take action.
While Fortnite’s We The People events may have not been as entertaining as previous events, they proved to be a couple of the most important.
Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite Short – Chapter 2, Season 4 (August 13, 2020)
The Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short is a parody of a famous 1984 Apple Super Bowl commercial. It's significant because Epic Games released the short after initiating its lawsuit with Apple and Google. Leading up to the parody's release, Epic called out both companies for their exorbitant mobile payment fees. It then lowered the price of Fortnite's in-game currency and added a direct payment option for mobile devices. Both Apple and Google removed Fortnite from their app stores as this was a violation of their rules. That said, the parody, the Tart Tycoon Outfit, the real-life #FreeFortnite dad cap, and the Free Fortnite FAQ that followed suggest Epic Games' major beef was with Apple. Either way, the parody represents a moment when it seemed the entire internet was invested in the conflict between these two tech goliaths.
The Devourer of Worlds – Chapter 2, Season 4 (December 1st, 2020)
The Devourer of Worlds event was all about stopping one of Marvel's big bads, Galactus. The Agency nor any of Fortnite’s other factions could take him down. That's when Iron Man took charge, devising a plan to use an army of modified Battle Buses to fight off the giant villain. Players took command of the busses, shooting down Galactus’ drones as heroes like Thor and Wolverine supported them. Galactus tried to consume the busses in an effort to stop the rebellion but that was all part of Iron Man’s plan. Players ejected from the busses right before they exploded inside of Galactus’ mouth. Weakened by the explosion and unable to defend himself, the heroes were able to send Galactus through a rift and back to the Marvel Universe.
Zero Crisis Finale – Chapter 2, Season 6 (March 16th, 2021)
The Zero Crisis Finale was Fortnite’s first solo experience event. This time, instead of battling an enemy as a team, players would join forces with Agent Jones in hopes of fixing the unstable Zero Point.
Players were tasked with closing portals to stabilize the Zero Point but things didn't go as planned. Reality continued to break down as portals started to appear in various places across the island. Agent Jones and the player end up using a special rift device to close each portal. As they go about their task, multiple reality-altering waves hit, transforming and warping the environment around them. Enemies turned into chickens. Agent Jones turned into a butterfly. Chaos ensued.
The event ends with an NPC called The Foundation sacrificing themselves to contain the Zero Point. This resulted in a massive shockwave that erased all advanced technology from the island, ushering in a new season of Fortnite.
A mysterious island, time travel, alternate dimensions, pop culture events, and concerts by beloved musicians… It can be hard to keep up with Fortnite's every twist and turn. But if there's one thing we've learned, it's that Fortnite can be counted on to provide fans, even the ones who only stop by on occasion, with plenty of unforgettable moments.
Kenneth Seward Jr. is a freelance writer, editor, and illustrator who covers games, movies, and more. Follow him @kennyufg and on Twitch.