Fortnite Gets a Killer Crossover: Jason Voorhees Arrives Tonight

Jason Voorhees is doing the gaming circuit like it is summer camp roll call. After months of rumors, he is finally landing in Fortnite, and yes, this actually makes a lot of sense given what his rights holders have been building behind the scenes.

How we got here: Jason Universe, explained

Last year, Horror Inc. rolled out something they are calling the Jason Universe, basically a big umbrella for new Friday the 13th stuff across entertainment, games, immersive experiences, merch, and whatever else they dream up. They told fans to keep tabs on @JasonUniverse13 and the official site for updates.

Since then, we have already seen a 15-minute short, 'Sweet Revenge,' drop in August on the Jason Universe YouTube channel and on a site hosted by Angry Orchard Hard Cider. The bigger swing is coming with 'Crystal Lake,' a prequel series being developed with A24 and Peacock. On top of that, they have confirmed they are actively working on a new feature film sequel and a new video game, and they keep teasing that Jason will pop up in other unexpected ways.

Jason in the games, plural

One of those pop-ups is in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone as part of The Haunting, the annual Halloween event that kicked off earlier in October. And now, the hockey mask is headed to Fortnite, too.

Fortnite details (and dates you will want)

• October 17: Jason hits the Fortnite item shop with a Jason outfit, exclusive emotes, and more.
• Already live: Jason is roaming the island as a boss who hunts nearby players with low health. Take him down and you get powerful loot, including a mythic weapon.
• October 16: The Jason Haunted Cup tournament. Top teams in each region win early access to the Jason outfit.
• This is part of Fortnitemares, which is also bringing in Wednesday Addams, Ghostface, The Grabber, Art the Clown, an Alien: Earth xenomorph, and the entire Scooby-Doo gang.

What the rights holders are saying

'The demand to see Jason in Call of Duty and Fortnite has been relentless - and we have heard you. Jason Universe is all about bringing the GOAT back. Fans have waited long enough.'

That is Robbie Barsamian, Executive Vice President at Horror, Inc., putting it plainly. Their CMO Sheri Conn calls these drops a killer crossover because players get to wear the mask in worlds with totally different rules and chaos. And Marc Toberoff, speaking for Friday 13th LLC, frames it as the next chapter in a 45-year run: Jason adapts to whatever medium fans care about, and returning to games should click with longtime diehards and new players alike. Barsamian also chatted with GameSpot about the gaming push if you want more shop talk.

My read

Fans have been whispering 'Jason is coming to Fortnite' for ages, so this is less shocking and more inevitable. Still, the timing is smart: Call of Duty gets him for Halloween mayhem, Fortnite follows with a boss fight, a mythic, and a tournament that doubles as a hype machine. If the Jason Universe plan is to keep the character everywhere at once, well, mission accomplished.