pop culture

Brace Yourself for 'Fortnite' Halloween Costumes as Google Searches Soar

Get used to seeing Black Knight, Crackshot, Cuddle Team Leader, Dark Voyager and Brite Bomber on your streets

Published Sep 12, 2018

Enthusiasm for the ubiquitous, free-to-play Battle Royale game hasn't died down over the course of 2018, and plenty of retailers are cashing in on what is sure to be a Halloween trend. Not only are there already plenty of costumes available for Oct. 31 celebrations, but real-world interest in them has skyrocketed.

Fortnite remains the biggest game in the world in terms of cultural impact. Developer Epic Games announced that it had 125 million users in June, only one year after the game launched. And with it now available on Android mobile devices, that number has grown. And, as the calendar pages keep turning, it's a forgone conclusion that trick-or-treaters will ring doorbells with their harvesting tools (you know, the pickaxes used to collect resources) in tow.

Fortnite costume / Spirit Halloween

Google provides a quick confirmation that Fortnite Halloween costumes will be a big seller for the 2018 season. Google Trend data shows that searches for "Fortnite costume" and "Fortnite Halloween costume" have soared.

This upcoming bonanza for retailers was capitalized upon by retailers Spirit Halloween and Spencer Gifts, who in July announced they were partnering with Epic Games to release an officially licensed line of costumes for adults and kids.

"Dance battles, gaming with friends and cosplaying are only the beginning," Kym Sarkos, executive vice president of Spirit Halloween and Spencer's, explained. "We will continue to add detailed replica products for Fortnite fanatics."

Of course, it helps both Epic Games and retailers that the business model of Fortnite is based around cosmetics. It keeps the money coming in for Epic, and with so many different customizable options, there are endless opportunities for retailers.

Fortnite costume / Spirit Halloween

While Epic hasn't released sales stats on which skins have sold the most, there are plenty of lists out there eager to tell you which getups are most in-demand for players. The top five skins on the unofficial Fortnite cosmetic encyclopedia, Fortniteskins.net, are Skull Trooper, Raven, Red Knight, Raptor and Omega. All of them are recognizable to even casual players.

The heavily anticipated costumes began showing up on Spirit Halloween's online store in early August. So far, the retailer has featured Cuddle Team Leader, Skull Trooper, Black Knight, Dark Voyager, Brite Bomber and Crackshot, which is surprising, as the Nutcracker-themed skin was a holiday accessory. Of course, many of these are available as kids' costumes as well, because of the game’s enormous popularity among school-aged children.

Fortnite costume of Crackshot / Spirit Halloween

And there are plenty of accessories. Spirit Halloween already has light-up boogie bombs, pickaxes and a 17-foot, $500 inflatable Battle Bus.

It's a little surprising not to see other popular character skins like Tomatohead or Season 6's Drift Mask showing up on retailer shelves. And really? No llamas? However, don't think that will stop eager fans from crafting their own Halloween skins. In fact, there have already been plenty of players excited to show off the upcoming DIY costumes made for themselves or their children on the Fortnite Battle Royale subreddit.

Additionally, blogs have sprung up offering to help fans create their own DIY skins for the holiday out of other available outfits. It would hardly be surprising to see many homemade Fortnite costumes strolling the streets on Oct. 31, filling in the many gaps left by Spirit Halloween and Spencer's. Prepare to see many dressed as Funk Ops, Rex and Raider. And although only one retailer has the official license, we're sure to see plenty of third-party knock-offs filling store shelves.

Whatever the costumes, this Halloween is sure to include many, many dance battles. Just watch out for the pickaxes.

Did you like this article?

Liked

Disliked