Game of thrones arrives in fortnite: snow, targaryen, and night king join battle royale

Fortnite’s Chapter 7 Season 2 just got a whole lot more epic. Tonight, players can squad up with iconic characters from George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones, including Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and the Night King.

Winter is coming to the battle bus

This marks the first major crossover between the fantasy universe and Epic Games' popular battle royale. The arrival coincides with the launch of Showdown, the new iteration of Fortnite featuring a wintry map overseen by the game’s own icy monarch, alongside existing rivalries. The update, which went live yesterday, introduced new locations and a battle pass featuring characters like Bugs Bunny and returning favorites such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s The Foundation and the Ice King.

The three Game of Thrones characters are available in the Fortnite Shop tonight, though their V-Bucks prices are still undisclosed. Players can also purchase a menacing Drogon glider – yes, you can ride the dragon – and emotes allowing characters to sit on the Iron Throne or summon fiery baby dragons. Daenerys appears in her Season 4 blue dress, with an option for her darker, final-season look. Her back bling is a treasure chest brimming with dragon eggs. Jon Snow offers options with and without his fur-trimmed cape, and a unique effect that gradually adds snow to his hair and shoulders. His back bling is a House Stark shield. And, well, the Night King is the Night King.

Early reactions to Showdown are positive, though some players voiced concerns over recent changes to V-Bucks, Fortnite’s in-game currency. The cost of V-Bucks is increasing, and they are being distributed more sparingly within battle passes, impacting Fortnite Crew subscribers as well. The frequency of crossovers has also been a point of contention among fans. However, the addition of Game of Thrones, a consistently popular IP, felt like a matter of time, especially given the slow integration of characters from other franchises previously represented in Warner Bros.' Multiversus game. With the inclusion of Scooby Doo characters last week and Bugs Bunny this season, most of the Multiversus roster is now in Fortnite – although some notable franchises, like Tom and Jerry, remain absent.

Image credit: Guille_GAG/Epic Games.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach him at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky