Fortnitemares (HHN 35)

[Tereglith]

Stranger Things is it appeals to a large audience, including kids and teens. I don't think I can say the same about Fortnight, which mostly just appeals to elementary and middle-schoolers.

Sure, but... Fortnite has been around for almost a decade. A middle schooler who saw Palpatine's special Fortnite broadcast in 2019 is now in his early 20s and probably still has some nostalgia for it. Same deal with FNAF last year, which was thought of as a "kid pandering" IP but has been around since 2015 so has an overall fanbase that skews older than the stereotype suggests. Just because we old fogeys still think of something as "new" when it's 8+ years old doesn't mean that the original kids who liked it are necessarily still kids! They age into the core early 20s demographic that has always been part of the event very quickly.

That being said, I am not hyped for this at all, which is a shame since the Central Park scare zone is the one I always end up traversing a ton of times and Cat Lady last year was one of my favorite zones ever. They can't all be winners I guess.

 

[snayberry]

Look at all the people mad at this happening, lol. I think this is a great addition to HHN. I still play Fortnite sometimes with friends. This will be such a fun and lively zone for sure.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

From the press release:

Now, Halloween Horror Nights’ fans will have the chance to “drop in” to the world of Fortnitemares,with an all-new scare zone, featuring ever-evolving and high-stakes environments. Guests will enter Freaky Fields, a Halloween-inspired living battleground overcome with a threatening force. Throughout the scare zone, fans will encounter the Battle Bus along with familiar Fortnitemarescharacters – plus a few new additions exclusive to Halloween Horror Nights – as they work to escape and claim victory.

I'm interested in this "ever-evolving" note. Could the zone morph throughout a shift as the battlefield contracts? Lots of interesting ideas.

 

[BBPH]

Oh I’m so here for the silly, this has real potential to be very funny.

I’m interested by the comments that this should have been a way to blend external IP characters but in my mind that then would have guaranteed this would have been the selfie zone.

TT with more info:

 

[Imperius]

I play Fortnite and thought this zone was weird choice, but now pretty excited. Seems like they are going a new route for a zone and it could be next level.

 

[jwbitterman]

Can't wait to imbibe the magical scent of Taco Bell farts, ennui, & the false bravado of the unaccomplished.

ANNIVERSARY YEAR, YA'LL ! ! !

Watch this be the best zone of the season.

2026, man.

 

[Brian G.]

Can't wait to imbibe the magical scent of Taco Bell farts, ennui, & the false bravado of the unaccomplished.

ANNIVERSARY YEAR, YA'LL ! ! !

Watch this be the best zone of the season.

2026, man.

We may need to dial it back just a tad here. Not everyone who plays Fortnite fits that description and could take it the wrong way.

The anniversary argument has always felt pretty flimsy to me. Milestone years have regularly introduced brand-new properties, so there's really no precedent that says every house has to be legacy-focused.

And like I've been saying since last year, yes, it's an anniversary year... but it's not that kind of anniversary. I never expected HHN 35 to be treated like a huge retrospective celebration like 25, or even 30*.

 

[johnathanm]

From the press release:

I'm interested in this "ever-evolving" note. Could the zone morph throughout a shift as the battlefield contracts? Lots of interesting ideas.

The Freaky Fields inclusion seems cool too! I’m not familiar with gameplay at all, but perhaps this could be more Halloween-y than initially expected! (Not getting hopes up, but perhaps a pumpkin presence is not out of the question, even if not lining the trees).

 

[Cwoolboy]

I'm sure the zone will be well-executed (pun intended), but I still don't approve of the event marketing towards a younger demographic. Y'all can go off, but my opinion on this isn't going to change.

 

[MAC]

I'm sure the zone will be well-executed (pun intended), but I still don't approve of the event marketing towards a younger demographic. Y'all can go off, but my opinion on this isn't going to change.

Over 60% of the user base is 18-24 males.

 

[BBPH]

I'm sure the zone will be well-executed (pun intended), but I still don't approve of the event marketing towards a younger demographic. Y'all can go off, but my opinion on this isn't going to change.

We are greatly exaggerating the age range of the game…

‘About 62.7% of Fortnite players fall in the 18-24 age bracket per industry survey data.
Another 22.5% of players are aged 25-34, making the 18-34 cohort over 85% of the active base.’

Fortnite Statistics 2026: Players, Revenue, Esports, and Engagement

Fortnite statistics for 2026: 110M monthly players, $6B annual revenue, $11M esports prize pool, engagement and creator data.

sqmagazine.co.uk

 

[Brian G.]

I'm sure the zone will be well-executed (pun intended), but I still don't approve of the event marketing towards a younger demographic. Y'all can go off, but my opinion on this isn't going to change.

You don't have to like Fortnite, but I don't think the idea that HHN is suddenly marketing to a younger audience really lines up with the event's history.

They've certainly broadened their appeal over the years, but HHN has always been an event for ages 13 and up. Last year alone, they had Art the Clown, and this year, they're bringing Evil Dead Burn and Hellraiser. That doesn't exactly strike me as an event pivoting toward kids.

And while Fortnite certainly has younger players, it also has a massive adult player base. At this point, it's a mainstream game that reaches the same 18-35 audience most brands are trying to reach. Looking at the lineup as a whole, I just don't see that argument carrying much water.