Fortnite Winterfest 2025: Start Date Revealed and Everything You Need to Know
Winter comes to Fortnite on December 18 as Epic Games kicks off Winterfest 2025, the game’s annual holiday blowout you won’t want to miss.
Fortnite is rolling out its big holiday blowout again, and this year is... a lot. If you like snow, free stuff, and wild crossovers colliding all at once, Winterfest 2025 is aiming directly at you.
When it starts (and how long it runs)
Epic says the event kicks off Thursday, December 18, 2025. The announcement came straight from the official Fortnite account on X/Twitter.
'It's (almost) the most Winterful time of the year... 12.18.25'
No official end date yet. Based on past years, expect it to carry into early January. And yes, since the date is 12/18/25, that logically means the event should spill into early January 2026. Some posts floating around say January 2025, which doesn't track with the start date.
Launch time is also unconfirmed. Historically, big Fortnite updates tend to land around 1:00 AM PT, but Epic likes to keep us guessing, so treat that as a rough guide, not a guarantee.
What's actually in Winterfest 2025
- Snowed-out map and new spots: A big slice of the Battle Royale island gets a proper winter makeover, with new points of interest to poke around in.
- Winterfest Cabin returns: The cozy cabin is back, which means daily log-in gifts during the event. Free is free.
- Harry Potter crossover (confirmed): Epic is bringing Hogwarts into the mix. You'll be able to represent different houses, and leaks point to a rideable broomstick in play. How it actually handles in a match is still a question mark.
- Sabrina Carpenter and Hatsune Miku skins (leaked): Expect special winter versions. This comes from reliable leaker HYPEX, who flagged both on December 13, 2025. Not officially announced by Epic yet, but the track record here is strong.
- Bleach x Fortnite drops December 20: Right at the start of Winterfest, Epic is launching the anime crossover with skins for Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Orihime Inoue, and Uryu Ishida. The announcement trailer is already out. Yes, Harry Potter and Bleach in the same window is a choice.
- Holiday shop overload: Look for a pile of seasonal skins, cosmetics, emotes, and other festive bits rotating through the Item Shop.
Bottom line
Winterfest is one of Fortnite's biggest annual updates for a reason, and this year is stacking crossovers on crossovers. The date is locked for December 18, the timing is probably an overnight patch, and the rest is a mix of confirmed content and well-sourced leaks that tend to pan out.
For anyone new here: Fortnite launched in 2017 and is developed by Epic Games. If you've been around for past Winterfests, you know the drill. If not, this is a good one to jump in on — the daily freebies alone make it worth logging in.