The collaboration between Fortnite and LEGO is sure to bring together the players in a very real spinjitzu. Leakers Loolo_WRLD and blortzen, very familiar with this game, hint that upcoming LEGO Mini Pass will give us Ninjago skins and the Dragon’s Rising theme, featuring the Lord Ras as the primary antagonist. The alliance of Epic Games and LEGO introduces yet another entry for the ninja franchise in the battleground of the battle royale.
The news was disseminated via a tweet that immediately provoked a very hot debate between the fans of both games. While the Ninjago kids are not impressed, the die-hard fans of the franchise will be at least partly pleased with the news, as they would get to pick up the dragons in the next round, and the Pharaoh will be the main villain.
Oh wait—what? Now I am not very sure if I am just stating this, the reaction has been a bit mixed but mostly hype. LEGOMoonNite has expressed the expectation of many players when he stated: “This is every LEGO players dream! LEtsGO!!! It is time for some awesome content creator finally!!!” Of course, he is very enthusiastic, but keep in mind that not everybody is enamored with the Dragon’s Rising theme.
Players are expressing their disappointment in the comments section regarding whether or not Dragon’s Rising is really that good. One user by the name of benny_ean asserts that it is “better than the old show, and a fresh reboot ngl”, while another one, SnipezZ_4, counters with “stop the cap mate it’s not bad but the original ninjago is SO much better and I have been watching this show since the pilot episode aired in 2011.” The nostalgia element is very powerful in this one.
However, the entire Lord Ras matter is also open to discussion. Some gamers are even questioning why he is the chosen villain. Mows18 posting “I meant the suits bruv 😔 implies that the user might want a different character design. Conversely, DtgONinja14 came to Ras’s defense hard by saying “Bro is acting like Ras ain’t peak” and even used a flame emoji for the reaction image. The love for this character is quite strong, despite mrPLM24 asserting, “There isn’t a ninjago fan who knows him,” thereby implying that he is rather skeptical amidst the contentiousness of the debate.
What is really intriguing, though, is that the community’s view is so polarized concerning the Ninjago age that should be depicted in the Fortnite game. YokaiGhost has in no uncertain terms declared that it is a “big L” that they have opted for the Dragon’s Rising era rather than the classics, and he illustrated his point with a sad gif. On the contrary, others are simply happy that any Ninjago character is represented in the Fortnite’s LEGO mode along with the rest of the player community.
The timing of this collaboration is truly impeccable—Fortnite’s LEGO mode has been really popular since the beginning, and the licensing with the likes of Ninjago and providing constant content updates and keeping the players from getting bored has worked wonders. The Mini Pass has been a fantastic means of providing players with new objectives and customization possibilities, and the idea of introducing Ninjago elements could even attract a new group of LEGO fans that otherwise may not have had the intention of playing Fortnite.
There is, however, some misunderstanding as to what exactly we are going to get. Motionfrostey wondered, “What are their br skins going to be?” while WolffangAK47 pleaded, “Please tell me they’re gonna be skins.” The original tweet mentions cosmetics in the LEGO Mini Pass but does not make it explicit whether we get actual character skins or just building materials and back blings. If we consider how Fortnite generally deals with collaborations, it is highly likely that we are going to have ninja-like costumes accompanied by building pieces along with the LEGO-style ninjas.
The discussion even reached Ninjago’s lore level, as the players were talking about which seasons were good for the series and which were bad. Benny_ean brought some… questionable plot points from past seasons including, “Season 6 had a pervert genie who was trying to force a minor in marriage” which he rightly pointed out is pretty crazy for a children’s show. On the flip side, Knightly pointed that when Ninjago switched to shorter episodes, “a lot of the storytelling felt rushed.”
For the players of Fortnite, the most important aspect is that new content is being introduced to the LEGO mode, and the Ninjago’s appearance would fit just right with the building mechanics. The Dragon’s Rising is bringing in new characters and locations that could be used as attractive prefabs and as building material. And, using the Lord Ras character as the main villain, it might mean that there would be some sort of quest or special challenges connected with Mini Pass.
This is not the first time when Fortnite has collaborated with major IPs; among others, the game has had Marvel, Star Wars, and Family Guy, just to name the few. However, out of all the collaborations, LEGO Ninjago is the one that feels the most natural because the building mechanics fit quite well with LEGO’s core identity. It is truly a match made in gaming heaven.
As always with a leak, one should take it as a rumor until Epic confirms it officially. But, considering the leakers’ track record and the depth of information, it is almost certain that we will soon see Ninjago Dragon’s Rising content in Fortnite. The community’s reaction already indicates that there is a demand for it—though, of course, with different opinions on which characters and stories should be put on the stage.
So, everyone, get ready for some spinjitzu moves practice and maybe also brush up your Ninjago knowledge—Fortnite is about to become a very ninja-themed game. Depending on whether you are a fan of the original series or Dragon’s Rising, the new LEGO content will always be a much-appreciated addition to the battle royale. Just don’t be surprised if you already see a whole army of blocky ninjas popping up in the island in no time. PlayStation and Xbox players alike can look forward to this exciting crossover.
