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The representation of Black characters and Black Superheroes in Fortnite remains a big, bright check mark on the diversity scorecard. The early days of Fortnite have some pretty icon Black characters, including “Aerial Assault Trooper” and “Recon Expert,” to name a few.
Today, Epic Games has made a strong effort to add more Black and BIPOC characters to the growing meta world of Fortnite. For a platform, this large to actively create characters of color is incredible for everyone. There is no telling how many young Black gamers are inspired daily by seeing characters they can identify with and being able to play as them. When they see characters who look like us, it gives them the confidence to believe that they can achieve anything. Representation matters.
I embarked on a journey back in 2018 to collect every Black character in Fortnite. Unfortunately, I failed. There wasn’t enough money, time, or interest in Fortnite to justify all those purchases. Now and then, I am compelled to support the release of certain skins like Black Manta or Piccolo.
Chapter 4 Season 4 might be another time I dive in and spend some cash to grab KHABY LAME, if only for the laughs. Below, you will find a selection of Black characters I have collected or cataloged in the game of Fortnite. If you know of us characters I missed (there are a bunch), DM me on Instagram and give me the rundown. Check out our other Fortnite piece, and stick with us for more representation in pop culture.
Meet the OG’s
Fortnite launched as a small zombie-themed base builder. In that game, a couple of Black character skins eventually transferred over to the genre-bending Battle Royale mode we see today. Here are the OGs.
Meet Spitfire
Ever wonder what the name of the Black guy in Fortnite is? Well, it’s Spitfire. This is one of the original common recruit characters in Fortnite Battle Royale. This is also the default model for many of the Black male Fortnite skins in the game, including Aerial Assault Trooper, Giddy-Up, Maximillian, Blue Striker, and many more.
Spirtfire wasn’t the only Black male Fortnite skin. Several other Black characters were in Fortnite: Save The World, including this Black ninja fellah from the trailer below.
Meet Banshee
On the female front, Banshee was Fortnite’s original Black female skin. She began her dominance in the Save The World mode and easily transitioned to the Battle Royale pool of character skins. Today, she’s the base model for many of the Black female Fortnite skins, including Holly Jammer, Party Star, Recon Expert, and Cipher, to name a few.
Black Characters in Fortnite (Updated December 2023)
Chapter 5, Season 2 of Fortnite, is here! It turns out the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are playable skins in the game! We just did a whole series of features on why that would be huge for Super. Black. and we didn’t even know it.
As a massive TMNT fan, I had no choice but to purchase the set, much to my wallet’s dismay. On the bright side, it made me commit to playing Fortnite again. if only to justify the purchase. Because of this, I ended up winning a few Victory Royales! Were they bot lobies? Of course. Does that matter to an old gamer like me? Not in the least. As the great Dom Toretto said, “Winning is winning.”
2023 Victory Royale Proof
Chapter 4 Season 4 brings the social media phenomenon “KHABY LAME” to the world of Fortnite! How meta will this game get?
Piccolo
I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t add Piccolo to this list. Salute to the greatest stepfather and the best surrogate Black dad in anime history.
06/06/22 Malik
OK, I no longer play Fortnite, and I am ready to jump in JUST for this new Malik skin. He’s a fancy-ass knight. There is no limit to the level of cool this fella exudes. My only reluctance is the fact that my weak skills would do his style a disservice.
04/01/22: Silk Sonic joins the bunch
I have since ceased my Fortnite playing. I have no time to be bad at yet another game. Then I saw an ad for Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak Silk Sonic skin pack, and I figured, “Why not one more Fortnite purchase, for old times’ sake? So here we are, blessed with a couple of funky characters without intention of using them. For what it’s worth, I made the funk-suit Anderson .Paak by default. It’s just right.
11/13/20: Blade is in the bag!
I finally have Blade! The Daywalker is mine at last. Since the beginning of the Marvel x Fortnite event, I have been waiting for the stoic vampire hunter, and this weekend, he returned to the store. What a great skin as well. Everything is spot on and rather Wesley Snipes-like. I find that to be an added bonus.
Black Manta has made his way to Fortnite! Finally! I never thought he would be added to the game, but what a happy occurrence. I have a well-documented love of the weird underwater pirate. From his inclusion in the Injustice 2 game, the middle-of-the-road Aquaman movie, and his amazing run in Young Justice. I have shown up for all his exploits and will continue to do so. I’m terrible at Fortnite and immediately spent real-world money on this Black Manta skin. Ugh.
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If you want to build a fort and play Fortnite with us on stream, head here for details!
The MajorLazer skin made its way to Fortnite this week. I am debating if I should spend the exorbitant amount of fake money it costs. That is the point of this feature, though. I am conflicted. It is a pretty sweet skin, and it comes with its music and dance. It’s almost silly NOT to get it. I have mere hours before it disappears. What will I do?!
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How many Black characters are in Fortnite Battle Royale?
I am a Fortnite Battle Royale fan. If you are like me at all, you may have wondered aloud, there are black characters in Fortnite Battle Royale, but how many exactly?
That’s a great question. I would love to find out. I don’t want to do any research or have it take up too much of my time. So I have relegated myself to picking up every black guy and gal skin I come by in the store when I see them. So far, it’s taking a long time and costing me a lot of money. Collecting black characters in Fortnite is expensive.
My go-to: Maximillion
Dressing up my perpetually dying avatar like a Tuskegee Airman is a strange joy. Not because he keeps dying in the most ridiculous ways to some of the world’s worst players. No. It’s mostly because I love the pilot outfit and Dirigible glider combo. Max is a distinguished pilot with a terrible aim and a penchant for landing in the worst areas possible.
The Original: Hyperion
The first premium skin I purchased was also the skin I received in my first two Victory Royales. You can tell how long ago that was by the skin and the “#1 Victory Royale” styling. Hyperion was a basketball player skin that offered nothing but a break from the random default skins players are stuck with. I had a pocket of V bucks and nothing to spend. That is until this good guy showed up.
New to the group – Bandolier
Spending hard-earned cash on all the black characters was a given well before Bandolier showed up in the item store. I had a strange change of heart right before buying this one. I closed the game and went about my business, thinking I would get it if I returned and the skin was still there. Lo and behold, I came back, and he stared me in the face. Angrily.
The guy I’ll never upgrade – Carbide.
The superhero Carbide with the upgradable suit is a great skin. It’s too bad I will never be able to upgrade him. I am awful at this game. I have no intention of getting better, and I don’t even know if upgrading him at this point is possible. He is snazzy, though. This super-powered fella sparked my mild interest in collecting all the Black Battle Boys.
The state of black characters in Fortnite Battle Royale
I have been enjoying the range of black characters in Fortnite. Seeing new ones in the store usually prompts a purchase. Maybe I haven’t come across any, but I have yet to see a black lady character for purchase. Again, I may be mistaken. If anyone knows of any particularly good, I will grab those skins as well. I am content with picking up all the dark fellahs I can find now. I am also collecting the Spanish folks, starting with the Mexican Wrestler, mostly because I love some good wrestling.
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