Fortnite adding multiple career-spanning Eminem skins alongside a live event blowout that 'marks a new beginning'

Eminem in Fortnite.
(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite is re-introducing its big live events on December 2, with a blowout called Big Bang headlined by Eminem. The rapper posted a short video to X with the line "calling all grandmas", with the lyrics to his 2020 song Tone Deaf playing atop it:

Bitch, I can make "orange" rhyme with "banana" (Yeah)

Ornana

Eating pork rinds, sword fightin' in pajamas

At the crib, playin' Fortnite with your grandma

But I'm more like a four-five with the grammar

Ornana. Fortnite OG, the wildly successful return to the game's roots, is running for another week, and following some scheduled downtime earlier this week the data-scrapers were straight in there to dig out some promotional images showing the star in two flavours: his early bleach-blonde look, and a more contemporary bearded version in suit and fedora. There's also a skin called Marshall Magma which players will receive for attending the event.

The Big Bang event isn't just about Eminem: the leaks further suggest that Lego will also be involved somewhere along the line, as well as a new racing mode and a rhythm mode. But expectations should be high for the main live event after the frankly spectacular job Epic did with Ariana Grande. Fortnite hasn't had one of these since December 2022, and it seems like Epic has decided less frequent end-of-season blowouts will let them focus on delivering something memorable.

The Fortnite website says the Big Bang happens Saturday December 2 at 7pm GMT/2pm EST/11am PST and "marks a new beginning for Fortnite." The tagline on the loading screen for it, "it's a whole new world out there", also suggests players can expect the event to end with the reveal of a newly reshaped map. Players can join the event 30 minutes prior to it all kicking off, and can enter as parties of four. There's also a fairly hefty disclaimer about flashing lights.

Interestingly enough, this isn't Eminem's first dabble with Fortnite. Last year the star's songs featured in a takeover of the in-game radio show. Below you can see some of the skins set to be featured in the event, though sadly there isn't one of Mr. Mathers in his knockoff Robin outfit.

Rich Stanton

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."