When Chappell Roan took her place as Fortnite Pageant’s newest headlining artist on Thursday, the Rainbow Royale part of the Fortnite merchandise store additionally popped up, providing a set of free Pride-related cosmetics in addition to some paid objects, just like the Maizy pores and skin. The looks of the Rainbow Royale part is definitely an enormous deal, as a result of Fortnite didn’t maintain any recognition of Pride in 2025. This marks the primary time Rainbow Royale store part has popped up since September 2024.
For many who have not seen this a part of the store earlier than, the Rainbow Royale part consists of a number of free sprays and emoticons, a free jam observe, a free rainbow weapon wrap, and a free rainbow emote. Of us with V-Bucks to burn can seize the Prismatic Pride bundle that includes the Maizy pores and skin and a few rainbow equipment for 1,500 V-Bucks (abut $13).
Fortnite skipping Pride turned a scorching matter late in 2024, as followers speculated that Epic might have been taking an anti-diversity stance in response to the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency. Contemplating Rainbow Royale had been an annual factor for a number of years in a row, and the way effusive the Trump administration has been with its often racist and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric, even we could not assist however see a connection. Epic advised GameSpot in October that “We missed the Rainbow Royale window whereas we targeted on delivery different activations and modes.” However it’s unclear how or why work on new modes would intrude with bringing again present store sections and objects which have been within the recreation for years. The contents of this store part have remained unchanged since 2022.
Whereas we finally cannot say for positive why Fortnite skipped Pride final yr, we will recognize that Epic is beginning 2026 proper by bringing again the free Pride cosmetics and introducing its first queer music go headliner since Billie Eilish in Spring 2024. It might be too quickly to imagine this transfer represents a sea change for Epic–the Rainbow Royale part is just sticking round for 4 days, in spite of everything. However it’s definitely a great signal, regardless.