OverFortnite’s seven-year-long lifespan, a wide cast of varied characters from all mediums of pop culture have appeared in the game as outfits for gamers to play as in Battle Royale and other game types. From the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Mad Titan Thanos to the critically acclaimed American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, gamers have been able to play as almost every popular icon withinFortnite.
In 2024’s late holiday season, gamers were once again able to purchase and play asHalo’s Master Chief before being vaulted before the new year. While Master Chief didn’t return for long, his popularity among longtimeFortniteandHalofans should encourage Epic Games and Halo Studios to introduce moreHalocharacters to the game.
Fortnite’s Master Chief Explained
While Master Chief wasn’t the first video game character to appear inFortnite, he was one of the most surprising to appear in the game since the Spartan is the mascot of Xbox’s flagship exclusive franchise,Halo. In late 2020, 343 Industries and Epic Games chose to releaseMaster Chief as the next Gaming Legend forFortnite’s Chapter 2: Season 5in coordination withHalo Infinite’s initial release date of November 2020. Master Chief’s addition to the game additionally coincided with the release ofRed vs. Blue: Zero, the 18th season ofHalo’s long-running Rooster Teeth machinima series in December 2020, as characters, such as Sarge and Grif, from the series appeared inFortnitemarketing for the Spartan’s arrival.
Fortniteplayers weren’t just able to purchase Master Chief as an outfit, however. Players who purchased the Master Chief Bundle were additionally able to equip the Battle Legend Back Bling based onHalo’s Legendary Difficulty symbol, a Gravity Hammer Pickaxe, a UNSC Pelican Glider, and a Lil' Warthog emote. Gamers who were able to playFortniteon an Xbox Series X/S console or through the Xbox Cloud Gaming service would have further unlocked a Matte Black alternate style of Master Chief’s GEN3 armor. In 2020, players were further able to reliveHalo’s glory days inFortniteby playing Slayer-esque matches in the remake ofHalo: Combat Evolved’s classic map Blood GulchviaFortnite Creative.
Master Chief was first vaulted inFortnitein December 2020 but returned in March 2021, August 2021, September 2021, May 2022, June 2022, and December 2024.
Other Potential Halo Characters to Arrive in Fortnite
Based on Master Chief’s recurring popularity inFortniteand his ability to have numerousHalofans flock to the battle royale game, Epic Games and Halo Studio should consider adding moreHalocharacters to continue spiking player interest. Several other iconic video game series have had multiple characterscross over intoFortnite,such asDestiny,Gears of War, andResident Evil, so it would make sense for Halo Studios to want to equalizeHalo’s playing field in the battle royale game.
With a newHalogame possibly being announced sometime in 2025, and given that 2026 will be the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Epic Games and Halo Studios could coordinate to bring back Master Chief alongside otherHalocharacters to coincide with this new game’s announcement.
Two of the most probableHalocharacters to join Master Chief in Fortnitewould be Cortana and the Arbiter. All three characters make upHalo’s core trio from the series’ original trilogy and are some of the most iconic protagonists in the entire franchise. Cortana could be released with three distinct styles, one based on her original, purpleCombat Evolvedappearance, another based on her evilHalo 5: Guardiansappearance, and another based on The Weapon fromHalo Infinite.
Meanwhile, the Arbiter could have two styles: one based on hisHalo 2and3appearance and another based on hisHalo 5appearance. The Arbiter could also come with an Energy Sword Pickaxe and Banshee Glider, while Cortana could come with a Guardian Glider and Index Pickaxe.
A Potential Halo Villain Brought to Fortnite
First introduced in 2016’sHalo Wars 2, Atrioxhas quickly become one of the most popular antagonists in theHalofranchise, with his Banished faction becoming the main opponents seen inHalo Infinite. With Atriox possibly set to return inHalo 7, he could make for an exciting addition toFortnite, especially if his red Energy Mace Chainbreaker is made as a Pickaxe skin. WhileHalo’s future is currently uncertain, these additions could spike interest in the franchise as it nears its 25th anniversary.
