Sprite collecting will remain in Fortnite for the foreseeable future. WIth Chapter 7 Season 4 just a few weeks away, Epic Games has confirmed the adorable creatures (and sometimes frustrating collectible mechanic) will return.
Epic announced that a "new generation of Sprites" will be featured in Fortnite: Override, including new powers and variants, quality-of-life improvements based on player feedback, and new ways to discover and collect them. Interestingly, the developer noted that you'll be able to collect Sprints "in (and out of) your games," though we're not entirely sure what that means. Does it means Sprites will be collectible in game modes beyond Battle Royale, or are they planning to expand on the concept with physical merch, like plushies and such.
Epic isn't just continuing the idea of Sprites next season, they are expanding on it with the introduction of the new Sprite Garden. This is a separate island where "you can play with your Sprites, visit friends’ garden sanctuaries, and showcase your entire collection." This is where all of the Sprites you've collected in Season 3: Runners will be housed, along with any new Sprites you find and extract in Season 4.
Season 3 Sprites will live in the Garden, and you'll still be able to show them off in your Sprite Mastery Pod Back Bling and as pilots in the Guardian Outfit.
"Look out for more details on how the Sprite Garden, built in collaboration with Fairview Portals and Beyond Creative, works and evolves over time," the developer teased.
One major question they did resolve is what will happen if you haven't collected all of the Sprites in the current season. With the introduction of all-new Sprites, the ones featured in Fortnite: Runners will be retired; however, they won't be gone for good. Epic suggested that past generations of Sprites "may return down the line, offering another shot to add them to your roster and flex their tiny Sprite muscles in Battle Royale again." This feels like an unvaulted mechanic that could see older Sprites return on certain weekends, kind of like how we have power hours right now.
We still don't know all of the details for Fortnite: Override, but there are strong rumors and leaks that point to it having a Gaming Legends theme. If true, then perhaps some of the new Sprites could be inspired by some of gaming's most iconic characters. Imagine an adorable Kratos Sprite, or one that looks like Master Chief!
Fortnite: Override will go live on August 20. Meanwhile, the Fortnite Unstable live event, which will act as a send off for Chapter 7 Season 3, will take place on August 15, concluding the current Fortnite: Runners arc.