For the first time in four years, Fortnite has chosen not to host its annual Rainbow Royale event, traditionally organized to celebrate and honor the LGBTQIA+ community.
Since its inception in 2021, Fortnite had consistently presented its yearly Rainbow Royale Pride event during the summer. These celebrations were typically modest, primarily offering complimentary rainbow-themed digital items such as the “Take a `Bow” and “The Dip” emotes in the in-game store. In 2022, the event saw a slight expansion, featuring a Pride-themed battle bus, unique quests that awarded a weapon wrap and a hammer pickaxe, and the introduction of a DC Dreamer (a transgender superhero) skin as part of the festivities. Despite these additions, the event never dramatically altered Battle Royale gameplay and remained a relatively small-scale observance. Last year, the entire event was limited to a dedicated shop section that became available for one week in both June and September.
However, in 2025, Fortnite`s Rainbow Royale event has been entirely absent. As October arrives, none of the expected free Pride-related items have appeared in the game`s store. Even the Mazy skin, a paid cosmetic usually featured in the Rainbow Royale shop, made a solitary appearance for a single day this year.
When contacted for a statement regarding this omission, an Epic Games spokesperson responded by saying: `We missed the Rainbow Royale window while we focused on shipping other activations and modes.`
Beyond Epic`s official comment, the exact reasons behind the decision to forgo the Pride celebration remain speculative. It is uncertain whether this choice is influenced by broader political efforts in the United States aimed at curbing diversity and inclusion initiatives. The motivation could potentially stem from Epic`s leadership aligning with specific political stances, a strategic move to avoid potential controversy, or other undisclosed factors.
This situation appears to align with a broader pattern observed throughout the year, where various corporations, including those within the gaming sector, seem to be adopting more conservative approaches. This trend is possibly an attempt to navigate a volatile political environment. A prominent example surfaced earlier this year when the long-running MMO RuneScape notably did not release new Pride event content, despite reports indicating that staff had already completed much of the development work. Jon Bellamy, CEO of Jagex, commented on the matter, stating that Pride is `now controversial in a way it didn’t used to be and that controversy now brings more risk than it did previously, risk that I’m personally responsible to protect against.`
Bellamy further elaborated on the perceived risk, noting that “woke” or representative content has led to the cancellation of games and studios, indicating an unexpected shift in public opinion. These remarks did little to reassure RuneScape`s LGBTQIA+ community.
Given Epic`s limited public commentary beyond their initial brief statement, the disappearance of Rainbow Royale strongly suggests that the creators of Fortnite may be taking a similarly cautious stance, akin to Jagex`s approach with RuneScape.