Summary
- Fortnitemares 2024 update is live, featuring Disney villains, new weapons, and quests until November 2.
- New Fortnite update v31.40 includes Boom Billy, Chainsaw, and unvaulted items like Witch Broom.
- Horde Rush mode is back, challenging players to battle Cube Monsters and defeat the final boss.
Epic Games has released a brand new Fortnite update on October 12, marking the beginning of the highly anticipated Halloween event, Fortnitemares. The event will feature a plethora of new cosmetic items, challenges, and weapons, and will run until the end of Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4, which is expected to conclude on November 2.
Every October, Epic Games celebrates the spooky season with a brand new Halloween event known as Fortnitemares, and 2024 is no different. While leaks originally put the release date for the update as October 15, Epic would go on to surprise fans and confirm an October 11 launch instead. Unfortunately, just a few hours before the update was set to go live, the studio delayed the latest Fortnite update by almost 24 hours. Thankfully, the event and corresponding update are now live on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and supported mobile devices.
Following some server downtime, update v31.40 is now officially live on all supported platforms. The update marks the beginning of Fortnite’s new Fortnitemares event for 2024, which will see a plethora of iconic Disney villains join the hit Battle Royale, including Maleficent, Captain Hook, and Cruella de Vil, all of which will be available via the in-game store throughout the Fortnitemares event. Fans will also find new quests to complete to earn exclusive Halloween-themed rewards, such as The Great Scarecrow Glider, which can be unlocked by completing all 11 of Fortnitemares’ new quests.
Alongside a plethora of new horrifying Fortnite skins, players can also check out new items such as the Boom Billy, a mini-Billy the Puppet that’ll lock onto the nearest opponent and explode on impact. Then there’s the new Chainsaw item, which allows players to hack their way through enemies or rev it into the ground and propel themselves forward at high speeds. And it’s not just new weapons making their way into the game, as Epic has also confirmed a handful of items are also being unvaulted, including the Wood Stake Shotgun, Pumpkin Launcher, and Witch Broom.
Finally, there’s a returning limited-time Fortnite mode for fans to check out: Horde Rush. In this mode, players will be tasked with traveling the map and surviving against hordes of Cube Monsters. After surviving all of the hordes, players will go up against the final boss. Epic says the mode will be available until the end of the 2024 Fortnitemares event.
Fortnite Update v31.40 Patch Notes For October 12
Want to play a game? How about some Battle Royale… during Fortnitemares 2024? This year’s frightening festivities bring the explosive Boom Billy, a rideable chainsaw, the return of Horde Rush, and plenty of Quest rewards like the Jack-o'-Drifter Contrail and Great Scarecrow Glider. Fortnitemares 2024 runs now until the end of Chapter 5 Season 4!
Tricycle Scare
See a trike behind you? Run! Players can now throw a Boom Billy, a mini-Billy the Puppet that’ll lock onto the nearest opponent — which could be you.
It’ll ride a tricycle your way then explode on impact. Outrun it so that it detonates before you’re the next victim!
If you wanna be the one to make Billy go boom, find Boom Billys from the ground and Chests. Or get one from defeating the real Billy the Puppet at Freaky Fields.
Jigsaw’s Challenge
Let’s play a game within a game. Scattered across the Island are Billy the Puppets displayed on TV monitors waiting for passers-by. Approach a monitor and Jigsaw, the man behind the puppets, will challenge you to duel a player who accepts from another monitor.
Both players in Jigsaw's Challenge will don a Billy-inspired bear mask — which happens to be explosive. If you or your squad don't eliminate your target in time, the mask will explode and you’ll be eliminated. If you or your squad does eliminate the target, you and your squad will be rewarded with a Boom Billy, the unvaulted Witch Broom, and other loot!
Hack and Go Fast
Enough games. With a Chainsaw, hack your way through enemies… or rev it into the ground to propel yourself forward at frightening speeds! Saw that one coming?
You can pick up a Chainsaw from the ground and Chests. Let ‘er rip!
Unvaulted from the Underworld
It wouldn’t be Fortnitemares without undead armaments. The Wood Stake Shotgun, Pumpkin Launcher, and Witch Broom are back! Fire wooden stakes that sting, launch explosive jack-o’-lanterns, or whisk yourself up in the air and glide back down.
Ready to raise the stakes? Get the Wood Stake Shotgun and Pumpkin Launcher after defeating Ultima Carver at Brawler’s Patch (formerly Brawler’s Battleground). The Witch Broom can be found from the ground, Chests, and Loot Island.
To accommodate the new and unvaulted items, Shuri’s Black Panther Claws have been vaulted.
Sink Your Fangs into Quest Rewards
Earning new items just for getting XP in any Fortnite experience? Sounds too terrifyingly convenient to be true. Fortnitemares XP Quests will unlock over the course of Fortnitemares, and by completing them, you’ll get haunting reminders of Fortnitemares 2024:
- Complete 1 Quest: The Fangler Bass
- Complete 2 Quests: Carver's Helm Emoticon
- Complete 3 Quests: Horde's War Wheel Back Bling
- Complete 4 Quests: Thrills & Chills Loading Screen
- Complete 5 Quests: Nightmare's Choice Jam Track
- Complete 6 Quests: Knight of the Patch Banner Icon
- Complete 7 Quests: Jack-o'-Drifter Contrail
- Complete 8 Quests: Fiendish Wand Pickaxe
- Complete 9 Quests: Cauldron Chill Emote
- Complete 10 Quests: Night of the Nitemares Loading Screen
- Complete 11 Quests: The Great Scarecrow Glider
Cube Monstrosity: Horde Rush Returns!
The Cube Monsters are back with a vengeance in the returning Horde Rush! This limited-time mode (LTM) challenges your team to travel the map and survive hordes of Cube Monsters. This year’s edition features Mod Benches! Just when you thought you survived all the hordes, the Final Boss will force your strategy to be as multifaceted as a… well, cube.
Rack up your score by earning combos and collecting score multipliers. Horde Rush will be available until Fortnitemares ends and is accessible via Discover!
Ready for a horde hoard of XP? Horde Rush has its own set of Quests that’ll go live sequentially and be available ‘til the end of Fortnitemares! Complete these Quests for XP to help you complete the Fortnitemares XP Quests.
Eerie Outfits
Fortnitemares summons ominous offerings in the Shop. The Billy Outfit already made its debut — now check out some Outfits you can expect during Fortnitemares!
Sally and Pumpkin King
Make way for The Pumpkin King and his stitched-together seamstress.
Mephisto
An extra-dimensional demon who rules a fiery kingdom.
Edward Scissorhands
An uncommonly gentle man.
Disney Villains
The mistress of evil Maleficent Outfit, Neverlander Captain Hook Outfit, and cold-hearted Cruella de Vil Outfit.
She-Venom and Agony
Two symbiotes that’ll give your squad a scare.
Leatherface
A mad and macabre nightmare.
And wait… did Marshmello combine with Raven for a monster mashup? When Fortnitemares 2024 nears its end, Ravemello will enter the Shop to remind you Fortnitemares is only the beginning of the end-of-year party!
Be in Sync with Your Teammate in the Symbiote Cup!
Like how Agony is charged and dangerous, that’s how you gotta be to make it to the top in the Symbiote Cup! In this Battle Royale Duos tournament on October 22, the top-point earning teams in each region will unlock the She-Venom and Agony Outfits before they hit the Shop October 24 at 8 PM ET.
Competitors can play up to ten matches within their region’s three-hour time window, and the specific event timing for each region can be found in the “Compete” tab in-game. Scoring will follow the format below:
Match Placement
Victory Royale: 65 points
2nd: 56 points
3rd: 52 points
4th: 48 points
5th: 44 points
6th: 40 points
7th: 38 points
8th: 36 points
9th: 34 points
10th: 32 points
11th: 30 points
12th: 28 points
13th: 26 points
14th: 24 points
15th: 22 points
16th: 20 points
17th: 18 points
18th: 16 points
19th: 14 points
20th: 12 points
21st: 10 points
22nd: 8 points
23rd: 6 points
24th: 4 points
25th: 2 points
Each Elimination
1 point
Among other requirements, players must have Two-Factor Authentication enabled and verified on their Epic account and be at Account Level 50 or above to participate. (You can find your Account Level in Fortnite’s “Career” tab.) Players with Cabined Accounts are not eligible to take part in this tournament.
For full details and eligibility requirements, please see the Symbiote Cup Official Rules.
V31.40 Tournament Notes
- Boom Billys, Pumpkin Launchers, and the Billy and Ultima Carver fights are not included in tournaments.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- September 26, 2017
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Epic Games
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Play Fortnite your way.
Be the last player standing in Battle Royale, Zero Build, Reload, and Fortnite OG, explore LEGO Fortnite experiences, blast to the finish with Rocket Racing or headline a concert with Fortnite Festival. Play thousands of free creator made islands with friends including deathruns, tycoons, racing, zombie survival and more! Join the creator community and build your own island with Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) or Fortnite Creative tools.
Each Fortnite island has an individual age rating so you can find the one that's right for you and your friends. Find it all in Fortnite!
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms (except iOS/Mac)
- Cross Save
- Via Epic Account
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS
- X|S Optimized
- YES
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 players (certain modes)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
