Fortnite’s ninth Birthday event is reportedly set to begin on September 21, bringing back birthday-themed loot, cakes, a decorated Battle Bus and a new set of quests with free cosmetic rewards. Fortnite leaker HYPEX says the event is due to activate around 6 AM UTC, although Epic Games has not yet published a full announcement confirming the start time. Files added with update v42.20 independently support the event’s existence and contain the associated birthday cosmetics and gameplay assets.
According to the leaked quest structure, players will earn the Choco-9 Cake Back Bling after completing three Birthday quests and the Cake Crusher Pickaxe after completing six. Completing nine quests is said to award an FNCS-themed Back Bling, while a separate 9th Birthday Sprite Spray will be obtainable through a hidden Lobby Hack code. The relevant cosmetics were added to Fortnite’s files with v42.20 on September 17 and are currently listed as unreleased.
Birthday Cakes and the usual anniversary loot are also expected to return during the event. HYPEX says the celebration includes birthday-themed loot, XP opportunities and a special Battle Bus alongside the quest rewards. Datamined material from the same update has already shown a ninth-birthday bus design, birthday cosmetics and quest references centered on familiar anniversary activities.
One part of the Birthday rollout has been confirmed directly by Epic Games. In the official v42.20 Battle Royale update notes, Epic says a new Birthday Sprite will become available on September 26. Opening chests while carrying the Sprite can cause slices of cake to appear, with the chance increasing as the Sprite levels up, while eliminations can also produce cake once it reaches its maximum level.
That means the Birthday content appears to be arriving in stages rather than all at once. The wider anniversary event is currently expected to begin on September 21, while the Birthday Sprite is explicitly scheduled for September 26. Epic’s confirmation of the Sprite provides first-party support for the broader birthday rollout, even though the company has not yet detailed the complete quest schedule or reward thresholds publicly.
Fortnite’s Birthday events traditionally use returning celebration mechanics rather than introducing a completely separate game mode. Birthday Cakes have previously appeared around the island as healing items, while Birthday Presents can offer higher-quality loot and anniversary quests provide limited-time cosmetics. The ninth Birthday appears to follow the same basic format while integrating newer Chapter 7 systems such as Sprites and Lobby Hacks.
The event is also expected to lead directly into Fortnite’s next major seasonal change. Leaker ShiinaBR says the Birthday celebration is currently scheduled to conclude on October 1, the date associated with the upcoming Fortnitemares update. Epic’s own v42.20 ecosystem notes separately identify October 1 as an important update date, including the removal of Rocket Racing from Fortnite, although the company has not yet officially tied that date to the Birthday event’s conclusion.
As with any datamined event schedule, Epic can adjust activation times, rewards or individual quest requirements before they appear in-game. The Birthday Sprite’s September 26 release is officially confirmed, while the September 21 event launch, quest milestones and broader reward structure currently come from leaked v42.20 data and established Fortnite leakers. If the leaked timing holds, Fortnite’s ninth Birthday celebration will begin ahead of the weekend and continue into the transition toward October’s Fortnitemares content.
