I’ve Played Every Fortnitemares – Here’s My Definitive Ranking

I’ve been dropping into Fortnite since the very first Halloween, when the island was still finding its spooky legs. Every October, the community holds its breath for Fortnitemares, and over the years I’ve ridden every roller coaster – from bare-bones updates to insane loot pools that flipped the meta on its head. Now that we’ve weathered another season and the 2025 event has come and gone (it was decent, but didn’t crack my top tier), it’s time to look back. As a player who’s survived Cube Fiends, storm-tossed boss fights, and more pumpkin launchers than I can count, here is my personal ranking of every Fortnitemares event, from the forgettable to the unforgettable.

8. Fortnitemares 2022 – The One That Left Me Wanting More

Released during Chapter 3 Season 4, the 2022 event just didn’t deliver the chaos I crave. Sure, the Howler Claws Mythic was a blast – lunging across Pleasant Park and sniffing out campers felt fresh – but the novelty wore off fast. I remember landing at Grim Gables a few times, grabbing the Pumpkin Launcher from the NPC boss, and then thinking, “Is that it?” The Horde Rush mode returned with Zero Build support, which was a nice touch, but the overall package felt tiny. Even the Ash Williams skin couldn’t save this one from feeling like a filler update. It’s the only Fortnitemares where I logged off early to play something else.

7. Fortnitemares 2023 – A Vampiric Redo

A year later we got a very similar blueprint. Kado Thorne’s boss fight at Eclipsed Estate offered some cool weapons – I loved the Wood Stake Shotgun – but the event screamed “low effort.” Ghosts leading to buried treasure were a minor distraction, and once I’d completed the free quests for the Batwing Bonespike Pickaxe, there was little reason to stay. The collaboration skins (Michael Myers! Jack Skellington!) were fantastic, but cosmetics alone don’t make a great Halloween. It felt like Epic played it safe, and compared to what was coming next, safe just didn’t cut it.

6. Fortnitemares 2020: Midas’ Revenge – A Spooky Second Chance

Now we’re getting into the good stuff. Midas’ Revenge turned the tables by reviving me as a Shadow after elimination. This mechanic borrowed from Warzone’s Zombie Royale, but it gave every match a frantic, chaotic finale. I still remember my first “Nitemare Royale” – chucking pumpkin bombs at the last living squad as a vengeful ghost. The Witch Broom made its debut here, too, zipping me out of the storm more times than I can count. The Smash O’Lantern Pickaxe was a solid freebie, and my Save the World buddies finally got some love with the Hexsylvania Venture Zone and new Dungeons. It wasn’t the biggest event, but it was clever and kept me grinning.

5. Fortnitemares 2021: Wrath of the Cube Queen – When the Island Truly Transformed

Chapter 2 Season 8’s Halloween event was a showstopper. Cube Town erupted in the center of the map, a bouncy, neon nightmare that became an instant hot drop. The Sideways Scythe was devastating – I’d tear through Caretakers and players alike – and Horde Rush debuted as a permanent-style LTM, not just a weekend gimmick. I grinded those quests for weeks to unlock the Cube Cruiser Glider. Save the World also got a new Dungeon called the Lab, which marked the last time Epic really invested in that mode for Fortnitemares. The only reason this isn’t higher is that the 2019 and 2024 events managed to be even more memorable.

4. Fortnitemares 2017 – The Humble Beginning

I can’t ignore where it all started. Back in Chapter 1, Fortnitemares was mostly a Save the World celebration, but it gave us the Pumpkin Launcher – a weapon so iconic it has returned every single year. I remember creeping through the Battle Royale island with its first Halloween makeover, the darkness adding genuine tension. The Item Shop debuted here, and while I didn’t snag Ghoul Trooper back then, that skin’s rarity still haunts me. For its time, 2017 laid the foundation, and as an “OG” player, I cherish those simpler scares.

3. Fortnitemares 2018 – When the Cube Made Battle Royale a Horror Movie

Season 6’s event was a turning point. The Cube shattered Loot Lake and unleashed Cube Fiends across the entire island – it was PvPvE before that was a buzzword. Matches became unpredictable. One moment I’d be in a build fight, the next I’d be swarmed by monsters and third-partied by a squad with the new Fiend Hunter Crossbow. The Six Shooter and free Dark Engine Glider were welcome, but the real star was the atmosphere. It was messy, frustrating, and absolutely thrilling. 2018 proved that Fortnitemares could reshape how we played, not just how we looked.

2. Fortnitemares 2019 – The Storm King Cometh

Chapter 2’s first Halloween gave me my favorite LTM ever: Storm King. Working with randoms to bring down that towering boss on the Isle of the Storm was epic, and the Storm Sail Glider felt like a trophy. The island itself was a trickster’s playground – Zombies disguised as props, Ghost Vents launching me into the sky, and the Pumpkin Launcher returning with style. Community-made mode Gun Fright added extra flavor. This event married creativity and challenge so perfectly that I still get nostalgic. If not for the juggernaut that followed, 2019 would easily be number one.

1. Fortnitemares 2024 – The Year Epic Went All Out

Chapter 5 Season 4’s Fortnitemares is my undisputed champion. After a one-day delay that nearly broke the internet, we got Freaky Fields, a Chainsaw mobility item that turned me into a maniac, and boss fights against Billy the Puppet and Ultima Carver. The Witch Broom returned, but paired with Shuri’s Panther Claws and Iron Man’s Flight Kit, the map felt like a superhero horror movie. Boom Billys let me set traps that had my squad crying with laughter. The free reward track was the biggest ever, and even my LEGO Fortnite village got spooky with the Brick or Treat Pass. No other event has blended chaos, humor, and sheer volume of content this well. 2024 set a bar so high that I’m still chasing that high – and I can’t wait to see how Epic tries to top it in 2026.