Epic Games has released the first teaser for Fortnitemares 2025, and the players are flipping with joy as the headline act included Doja Cat in the game as the Mother of Thorn boss. The launch of the event coincides with the season change on October 9 and brings with it a fresh wave of spooky havoc. Another big name collaboration for Fortnite: An event that plasters the biggest glitzy glam of seasonal battle royale into the hands of a supreme music star.
So what exactly is Fortnitemares? Just in case a fresh player might not be aware, it’s Fortnite’s annual Halloween event where for a while the map is stained in the spooky, players get loads of Halloween-themed rewards, and usually, you have a boss or some sort of special enemy standing for the final. This time, rather than some old fashioned monster or original character, Doja Cat is coming in as the Mother of Thorns boss, that is to say: a Grammy-winning pop star is joining your Fortnite matches as the baddie. A development with such juicy potential.
Community reaction has been, let’s say, divided. Some are among the most pumped-up ones. “Peak hype, Fortnitemares is back and wild 🔥🎃,” wrote “It’sAmelia_X,” and they followed that up with “Big energy, Doja Cat as a boss? Absolute chaos 😳💥.” On the opposite end, some expressed their disappointment. One user dumped on the event, calling it “trash ass fortnitemares,” while another revealed they are “taking a break till may.” The divide is real, but these days, that’s almost textbook for any Fortnite update.
Epic isn’t shy with its attempts to merge the world of real celebrities with its events. Doja Cat is not merely a cosmetic to buy; she is a boss character that players will be fighting during Fortnitemares. Prior to this, the game had a history of integrating prominent contemporary musicians into gameplay rather than simply slapping a music artist with a skin or two just for cosmetic purposes. The title Mother of Thorns implies either she will have upset-your-face-thorns attacks or thorn-y-mechanics that could be fun to play against as a boss.
Players speculated the music. User ther2diodept demanded “her boss music better be ouchies or demons,” referring to two popular Doja Cat songs. It would be really cool if Epic actually lets them hear her music during the boss fight, just like they’ve done with most artists in former events. That melding of sonic elements of her music and actual Fortnite gameplay could be ranked as one of the best Halloween events ever.
Some players are saying there may even be just a regular icon series skin that’s being launched separate from her boss skin. One user wonders, “Is she the next festive artist?” while others argue Doja Cat should get a real icon skin instead of just a Halloween version. In typical fashion with its celebrity partnerships, Epic probably will deliver both: the boss version for the event and a purchasable skin so everyone can strut around in Doja Cat for real the rest of the year.
The event timing is set up really well. Starting October 9, Fortnitemares gives much time for the players to enjoy the Halloween content before the actual day. This early start also hints that the event could see different phases or that there will be updates all the way through the month; new Halloween content or surprise celebrity cameos could very well join the party right away, amping up the hype all the way to October 31.
A player was beginning to release concern about these endless collaborations, asking “why can’t we have a non-collab fortnitemares?” Truer words were never spoken. Although the crossovers bring attention and players, those long-time fans are nostalgic about the days when seasonal events featured solely characters from Fortnite and their lore. Epic’s ongoing struggle remains how to balance original content with such collaborations.
Finally, how are the bosses going to actually work? Will she roam the entire world spawning around certain points? Do special mechanics or attacks stand out? Because she’s a boss, rather than just a straight NPC, I am inclined to view actual boss battles in all intents and purposes – phases and mechanics included. The “Thorns” in her name might relate to some kind of area denial capability or cunning defensive ninja tricks.
On the other side, with all of the Fortnitemares frenzy, one of the players started to complain about the non-availability of V bucks for Fortnite Crew. User LoluwaOba85131 said, “Bro, I didn’t even get my 1000 vbucks from Fortnite crew” while another echoed the same sentiment. It’s kind of like some technical hiccups are drawing attention away from some players for the Halloween hype.
Doja Cat’s coming aboard the previous Fortnite trend of bridging musical families alongside Eminem and The Weeknd, among others. Fortnitemares feels like an ideal call for her big popularity and unique style with the Mother of Thorns concept, through creatively interpreting her persona into the game world.
As October 9 draws nearer, expect a lot more teasers and information about the details of what Fortnitemares 2025 entails. Larger-than-life Doja Cat boss battles will surely be the main feature alongside a complement of Halloween-themed assignments, cosmetic rewards, and map transformations for everybody to explore. Whether or not the idea of taking on Mother of Thorns gets you going or you are just here for the free Halloween skins, this year looks to be yet another unforgettable event on the ever-changing Fortnite journey.
That perfectly sums up what makes Fortnite special: marrying seasonal content with major celebrity involvement. Doja Cat as Mother of Thorns might very well be one of their more creative crossovers. Right or wrong, you just can’t keep from giving Epic credit for innovating ways to keep the game fresh and generate buzz. Now, we just have to wait to find out what other surprises will be ready for the spooky season.
