Freddy Krueger and Slender Man are officially coming to Fortnite as part of the game’s Fortnitemares 2026 lineup. Epic Games revealed the characters in new promotional artwork for the Halloween event, confirming reports that had circulated around the upcoming crossover lineup. The announcement also places both horror characters alongside several other major collaborations planned for this year’s event.
The reveal came through Fortnitemares 2026 key art released by Epic on September 28. The artwork prominently features Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street, while Slender Man can also be seen among the characters and imagery included in the promotional scene. Their appearances provide official confirmation that both properties are being incorporated into this year’s Fortnite Halloween event rather than remaining speculative leaks.
Freddy Krueger’s appearance is particularly notable because the character has been one of the major horror icons that Fortnite players have repeatedly discussed as a potential crossover. The character originates from the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series and is recognizable for his striped sweater, fedora and bladed glove. The Fortnite artwork depicts the character in a form closely associated with the classic version of Freddy, although Epic has not yet published a detailed cosmetic description or confirmed the final Item Shop contents.
Slender Man is another significant addition to Fortnite’s growing collection of horror collaborations. The character originated as an internet horror creation and subsequently became the subject of games, books, films and other media. Epic’s Fortnitemares artwork confirms his presence in the event lineup, but the company has not yet explained whether the character will arrive as a standalone Outfit or what additional cosmetics could accompany the crossover.
The two characters are part of a much larger Fortnitemares 2026 lineup. Epic’s artwork also reveals collaborations involving Five Nights at Freddy’s, Black Clover and The Purge, while Beetlejuice is represented through a gravestone in the scene. That gives this year’s Halloween event a mixture of established film and horror properties, anime, and video game characters rather than focusing on a single crossover theme.
Fortnitemares 2026 is scheduled to begin on October 1, with Fortnite’s current v42.20 ecosystem update already preparing tools and content for the Halloween period. Epic’s official documentation describes the update as laying groundwork for Fortnitemares and adding new features for creators, while the main Battle Royale event is expected to bring the crossover content to players during October.
Epic has not yet announced individual release dates or pricing for the Freddy Krueger and Slender Man cosmetics. The promotional artwork confirms their inclusion in Fortnitemares, but details such as Item Shop timing, V-Bucks pricing, bundles, alternate styles and associated accessories remain unannounced. Players will therefore need to wait for Epic’s subsequent event announcements or Item Shop releases for the full cosmetic details.
The confirmation also changes the status of earlier reports surrounding the two characters. HYPEX and ShiinaBR both highlighted Freddy Krueger and Slender Man on September 28, but the new Epic artwork provides the first-party confirmation needed to establish that the characters are part of Fortnitemares 2026. More crossover reveals or individual cosmetic details could follow as the Halloween event approaches its October 1 launch.
