Universal Orlando Resort has officially revealed one of the more unexpected additions to this year’s Halloween Horror Nights, bringing Epic Games’ massively popular Fortnite franchise to the event for the first time ever.
Announced on Tuesday, FORTNITEMARES will debut as an all-new scare zone inspired by Fortnite’s annual Halloween event, transforming part of Universal Studios Florida into a live-action version of the game’s spooky seasonal celebration. The scare zone will also appear at Universal Studios Hollywood, marking the first time the gaming franchise has been represented at Halloween Horror Nights.
Dropping soon: FORTNITEMARES at Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights.
Trudge through this scare zone and brace for the Storm, because there’s no telling what horrors it’ll bring with it. All tickets and packages are now on sale: https://t.co/bNxEICrynV pic.twitter.com/lRuQQ9JEdW
— Halloween Horror Nights (@HorrorNightsORL) July 22, 2026
READ: Kevin Feige Says Marvel Won’t Reboot the MCU After ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’
Universal teased the experience on social media, writing: “Dropping soon: FORTNITEMARES at Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights. Trudge through this scare zone and brace for the Storm, because there’s no telling what horrors it’ll bring with it.”
Freaky Fields Comes to Life
According to Universal, guests will enter Freaky Fields, a Halloween-themed battleground that has been overtaken by a mysterious and dangerous force. Rather than simply recreating locations from the game, the company says the scare zone will feature “ever-evolving and high-stakes environments” inspired by the annual in-game Fortnitemares event.
Fans can expect to encounter several recognizable elements from Fortnite, including:
- The iconic Battle Bus
- Familiar Fortnitemares characters
- New creatures created exclusively for Halloween Horror Nights
- Universal’s signature scare actors throughout the experience
Universal says guests will have to navigate the haunted battlefield while attempting to escape the ever-present Storm that serves as one of Fortnite’s defining gameplay mechanics.
A Major Gaming IP Joins Halloween Horror Nights
While Halloween Horror Nights has built its reputation around horror films and television properties such as Stranger Things, The Last of Us, Ghostbusters, and The Exorcist, the addition of Fortnite represents another step into mainstream gaming entertainment.
Mel’s “Die” In at Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Orlando – Photo Credit: M. Montanaro
Fortnitemares has become one of Fortnite’s biggest annual seasonal events since its debut, regularly introducing horror-themed cosmetics, monsters, limited-time game modes, and collaborations with major horror franchises including Halloween, Saw, Alien, The Walking Dead, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and many others.
Merchandise Already Revealed
Alongside the announcement, Universal confirmed that exclusive Fortnitemares merchandise is also arriving for guests.
The Fortnitemares shirt at Halloween Horror Nights – Universal
READ: Journey’s Jonathan Cain Blasts Bruce Springsteen as “Annoying, Bitter Old Man”
The initial lineup includes:
- A graphic T-shirt
- A decal set
- An acrylic collectible display piece
The merchandise is available now at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, with online sales beginning July 23 through Shop Universal.
Halloween Horror Nights Begins in August
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando will run on select nights from August 28 through November 1, while Universal Studios Hollywood begins its event on September 3.
FORTNITEMARES joins a growing lineup for Halloween Horror Nights 35 that includes haunted houses based on Stranger Things 5, Hellraiser, Evil Dead Burn, Sinners, and several original Universal concepts.
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights via Halloween Horror Nights YouTube
The announcement is likely to generate mixed reactions among longtime Halloween Horror Nights fans. While Fortnite regularly embraces horror themes during its seasonal Fortnitemares event, its status as one of the world’s most recognizable video games—and one with a broad audience that includes younger players—makes it one of the more unconventional intellectual properties ever incorporated into Universal’s premier Halloween event.
Are you excited for Fortnite at Halloween Horror Nights? Sound off and let us know!
