One massive Grand Dropping was probably just done by Fortnite right before the now Global Championship started, so, for those who think this is just a skin or a weapon balance patch, you are sorely mistaken. No, the event is musical in nature: the first-ever OFFICIAL Fortnite anthem named, “Locked & Loaded,” performed by d4vd. And really? That’s a banger.
Right in time! The FNCS Global Championship happening now is certain to want the hype of this song ablaze. Epic Games announced on the official Twitter account and linked actual song clips. So the community… is eating this up.
So, who exactly is d4vd? Should it ring a bell? For having been with the Fortnite scene for some time. As one player stated in the replies, “from making music for fortnite montages to making music for fortnite, wow.” A legit glow-up. He went from making tracks for fan content to being the official voice of the biggest battle royale game in the world. Career arc.
The anthem itself is one hell of a banger. There’s a constant influx of positive feedback from gamers. The user “KittieSkele” was going crazy: “Ahhh this is so AWESOME!!! PLEASE more animated stuff Please!!!! So fucking cool! It looks so good!! And yesss collabing with musicians!!! Let’s ggoo!! D4vddd sounds great and he looks cool in the video too! Fantastic work! More like this!!!!” Would you like some of that energy?? Good vibes, indeed.
Another player commented, “this is so GOOODDDDDD” with a fire emoji, while Kevin (Kdogg_727) called it “peak song @Fortnite peak visuals Victory Royale.” So yeah, vibes are immaculate.
Given that it is the Fortnite community, the responses were not composed entirely of praises, though. This is Twitter, after all. Once Epic posts anything, the requests flood in. Instantly.
One requests collabs, as someone has been on “Day 421 of asking @Fortnite to add Tsuyu Asui to the game (please).” Another wonders “When will the collaboration with Valorant take place?” Someone else is pleading for “Please bring back the infinite drift pack.” The grind never stops.
One player, Illimited, however, believes in the musical moment and sees it as an opportunity to sell an entire concept for the future of the game: “@Fortnite doesn’t need more collabs — it needs purpose, story, and community. I’ve created the plan to restore all 3. @Fortnite please give me the chance. 🙏” Gotta respect the hustle.
And the rest of the comments… not so much. One user asked pretty plainly, “Where’s xxxtentacion,” which is pretty much a statement on its own. Another replied to the leak account Fortnite Leaks with a blunt, “Yeah no that’s a pass for me.” Can’t win ’em all, I suppose.
Beyond the hype, the other common sentiment is that this anthem feels almost too good for how things are now. TFeezyDaUndaDog said it best: “Should’ve saved that for a new season it’s so good.” And honestly? They might have a point. This track has major season-launch energy. It’s epic, it’s cinematic, it gets you pumped. Dropping it just before the biggest competitive event of the year is definitely a power move, but part of me wonders how much it would’ve meant as the theme for Chapter 5 Season 3 or something.
This official video is getting so much love too. With the classic Fortnite cinematic style-wise-colorful and energized and filled with action. KDOGG_727 stated: “@Fortnite your cinematics are always over the top amazing if you ever make a movie/series it should always be in this art style 🤯.” Animated Fortnite series when, Epic??
This is no one-off cool thing; it really seems like a game course move for Fortnite branding. Partnering with musicians for official anthems is quite a leap. This is another smudge on the line between game and cultural event. Fortnite is no longer an actual game you set your fingers to, it’s a universe you experience. And having an official soundtrack that players can root for takes the experience far beyond just a game.
And the name? Speaking of which, Locked & Loaded. That’s so Fortnite. Aggressive, ready-for-action, what you’d say before you actually hop in the battle bus. Fits in perfectly with the competitive vibe of the Global Championship.
What’s next on the anthemic docket? Should become a norm, with a new anthem for every major season or event? Judging by the response to this one, I doubt anyone would turn that down. The collaborations between gaming and music artists have been ramping up for years, but Fortnite somehow takes it to a level so much bigger and more integrated than anyone else.
Yeah, so Fortnite’s first official anthem is here. And it’s a bop. Whether you’re grinding for the FNCS crown or just vibing in Team Rumble, “Locked & Loaded” is the perfect soundtrack for whatever chaos you’re about to get into. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go listen to it on repeat while I miss all my shots in-game. As one does.
