We knew from Disney's massive investment in Epic Games earlier this year, that it was only a matter of time until more of the company's signature IP make their way into Fortnite. And with Disney and Epic teasing reveals from D23 Live this weekend, we expected some big announcements.
They sure did deliver!
Epic announced a new Marvel gameplay crossover event in Fortnite Battle Royale — the first since the addition of the Infinity Gauntlet from Avengers: Infinity War in 2018. Kicking things off, fans were treated to a cinematic and gameplay trailer revealing the origins of the upcoming Marvel-themed season.
Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 5, Season 4 is titled "Absolute Doom," and if you couldn't guess by the title, Fantastic Four supervillain Doctor Doom is at the heart of the story. The collaboration is two-fold for Disney. Not only does it allow gamers to interact with and play as their favorite Marvel superheroes and villains, but throughout the season, gamers will be able to pick up clues and hints as to the storylines for upcoming Marvel films.
It's more than just a cosmetic tie-in now. It's actually bringing Marvel storytelling into Fortnite in a more meaningful way than ever before.
The cinematic trailer seemed to reveal the major contents of the Chapter 5, Season 4 Battle Pass, including the Marvel-themed skins players will be able to unlock. Among the skins included in the battle pass will be Gwenpool (an instant unlock), War Machine, Emma Frost, Shuri, Mysterio, Peelvervine (a Peely version of Wolverine), and Captain Jonesy. A Doctor Doom skin will be available as a mid-season unlock, similar to how Magneto was his season.
The trailer also provides a glimpse of some new Marvel powers that will seemingly make their way into the game. We see Shuri's claws, Iron Man's Repulsors and energy blasts, Captain America's Shield, and War Machine's weapon rig. Character flight seems to be a big mechanic in this upcoming season. It can be assumed that many of these super powers will exist as item pick-ups in the game so that even those without these character skins can harness these powers.
Interestingly, we did not see any footage of the Fantastic Four, which is a bit odd considering the entire season is themed around Doctor Doom.
It's perhaps no coincidence that this Doctor Doom-led season was announced just after Marvel revealed Avengers: Doomsday, a brand-new movie that will see Robert Downey Jr. — formerly Iron Man — return to the MCU as the iconic villain. Marvel is also set to introduce the Fantastic Four into the MCU in the upcoming film The Fantastic Four: First Steps next July.
Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 4: Absolute Doom will go live in the Battle Royale game on August 16, 2024.