Epic Teases Fortnite x Fire Emblem Crossover with Chrom

Image: Chrom from Fire Emblem/Epic Games/Fortnite

On June 7, 2025, Epic Games published a new Unreal Engine for Fortnite (UEFN) blog post—and eagle-eyed fans immediately noticed something strange. Right in the middle of an example image showing UEFN’s new conversation UI sat Fire Emblem’s very own Chrom, a beloved character from Nintendo’s long-running tactical RPG franchise.

Then, just as mysteriously as he appeared, Chrom vanished.

Let’s break down what happened—and whether this was a legitimate leak of a Fire Emblem x Fortnite collaboration, or simply an Epic-sized mistake.

Fire Emblem’s Chrom Appears (Then Disappears) in UEFN Blog Post

The accidental post arrived on a huge day for Fortnite: June 7 was not only the launch of Fortnite Super Season with new Hero Rank mechanics, but also the release of Fortnite update v36.00 and a fresh UEFN blog. While most fans were fixated on gameplay, others dove into the UEFN dev tools.

That’s where it happened—Chrom was spotted alongside another character asset from Hotel Dusk, in what was meant to be a generic "example" image. The Fire Emblem prince, known for his regal appearance and blue-haired swordsmanship, appeared cleanly rendered in an official Epic Games post.

This was the image that appeared in a UEFN post at Epic Games (Thanks SI)

Fortnite leaker HYPEX quickly picked up on it, tweeting: “Fortnite just used this Fire Emblem image of ‘Chrom’ in their UEFN blogpost, and it’s rare when they use IP stuff in blogposts without permission…”

By the end of the day, the image was gone—silently scrubbed from the blog. Prominent Fortnite insider Shiina confirmed the removal, and Epic Games has yet to issue a statement or clarification.

Image: Hypex and Shiina tweets on Chrom removal on Epic UEFN blog

Was It a Leak or Just a Mix-Up? Fans Debate

With no comment from Epic, the community is split. Was this a genuine Fire Emblem collaboration leak ahead of schedule—or a simple internal mistake?

Some players speculate that it could have been a developer using placeholder images, possibly pulling from a personal collection or internal archive. However, others doubt a company as large and structured as Epic would let a fan-inserted Nintendo IP image slip past multiple approvals, especially with Nintendo’s notoriously strict copyright enforcement.

Adding more fuel to the theory: the Chrom image wasn’t fan art or generic sprite reuse. It appeared to be official concept art—possibly even from Fire Emblem Awakening’s pre-release materials. This suggests it wasn’t randomly pulled from the web but sourced deliberately or from a licensed archive.

Why a Fire Emblem x Fortnite Crossover Actually Makes Sense

Despite genre differences—Fortnite is a battle royale sandbox, while Fire Emblem is a turn-based RPG—the two franchises have more in common than you might think.

• Fortnite is on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, meaning there’s already a working relationship between Epic and Nintendo.

• Fire Emblem characters are crossover veterans, regularly appearing in Super Smash Bros., one of Nintendo’s largest IP mashups.

• Fortnite has featured anime and RPG-style content before, including Dragon Ball, Final Fantasy, and Attack on Titan.

• Chrom has wide appeal, both within the Fire Emblem fandom and among Smash Bros. players.

Given that Nintendo’s Switch 2 is off to a hot start and Fortnite is back on mobile stores, the timing couldn’t be better for a high-profile crossover to boost visibility and engagement for both brands.

For now, neither Epic nor Nintendo has commented—but as we know from past Fortnite collaborations, silence often precedes the storm. Could Chrom, Lucina, or even Marth be preparing to drop into the island?

Stay tuned—because in Fortnite, anything is possible.