What To Expect From The Fortnite New Year's Eve 2021 Event
Live service games are as popular now as they've ever been. From Animal Crossing: New Horizons' holiday events to Apex Legends' seasonal storylines, many of today's most notable titles maintain relevance by continuing to implement new content well after their initial release dates. This means that it's becoming increasingly possible to celebrate real-life holidays in real time within a growing number of games that follow this model.
Most popular among live service games, and arguably gaming in general, is battle royale mainstay Fortnite. Some of the most notable in-game events ever have taken place in Fortnite, so it's reasonable to expect that developer Epic Games will at least do a little something for New Year's Eve.
Though the company has yet to detail Fortnite's planned New Year's Eve 2021 event in full, some recent leaks shared online have provided fans a look at some of what to expect from Fortnite come the final moments of 2020.
Fireworks and not much else
The first look at New Year's Eve 2021 in Fortnite came courtesy of Twitter user @ximton, who regularly posts Fortnite leaks. They shared a still image of fireworks lighting up the in-game sky shaped like "2021" and what appears to be a present or crown.
A few days later, fellow Fortnite leaker @m1fnbr shared a video that appeared to show the upcoming celebration, which features a disco ball, spotlights, and a large number of regular fireworks beyond the previously shared "2021" design.
Commenters have noted, some with derision and others simply observationally, that this is functionally identical to Fortnite's New Year's Eve celebrations in past years. While fireworks and lighting effects may not be all Epic ultimately has planned, the precedent set by previous years means that what's been leaked so far could very well be the full extent of the celebration.
At the very least, to set this year apart, Epic is currently selling an emote that allows players to cathartically pop a 2020 balloon and replace it with an inflatable 2021.
Fortnite's Chapter 2 – Season 5 is still ongoing, as is its "Operation Snowdown" Christmas-themed event. These will both continue into the new year.