When does Fortnitemares 2025 start? Everything you need to know

Spooky season is in full effect, especially in Fortnite, which is ramping up for its annual Fortnitemares event. The 2025 edition doesn't have many surprises that haven't already leaked. Some of the collaborations you can expect include Doja Cat, Ghostface, and Poppy Playtime, among others, but when does Fortnitemares actually start?

This article details everything you need to know about Fortnitemares 2025, including when it will arrive in-game and what to expect throughout the event.

Thursday, Oct. 9, is the day you will want to circle on your calendar, as this will be the first day of Fortnite's annual Halloween event. Although the precise release time is unclear, the game will likely enter a brief downtime before the update officially goes live.

If it follows the usual Fortnite cycle, Fortnitemares could be live at any time between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET. However, we expect Epic Games to report a more accurate time over the coming days.

Fortnitemares 2025 unquestionably offers the most collaborations of any single event in recent memory. Although Epic Games has only formally announced a few, everything kicked off with K-Pop Demon Hunters. In addition to returning collabs such as Ash Williams and Leatherface, there are many on the horizon.

Here is a complete list of the leaked partnerships to look out for when Fortnitemares starts:

Apart from the collaborations, a new Reload map is on the horizon, offering a spooky aesthetic. The usual Fortnitemares items and backdrop should also appear on the main Battle Royale map when the event starts on Oct. 9.

We'll have to wait and see what else Epic Games has in store for this year's event, but it looks promising from the outset.