Fortniteis currently in a transitional period between chapters. Chapter 5’s fourth and final season ended earlier this month and was replaced with Chapter 2 Remix. Revisiting Chapter 2 with new collaborations likeSnoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and Juice WRLD has given players plenty to do in November, but many fans and leakers have already begun looking toward the game’s future.
Recent leaks from notable community members like HYPEX and ShinnaBR combined with survey skins put out by Epic earlier this year have all but confirmed that Chapter 6 Season 1 will have a feudal Japanese theme. This won’t be the firstFortniteseason with aesthetic cues taken from Japanese culture but, unlike Chapter 4 Season 2, Chapter 5 Season 1 will supposedly be heavily inspired by Japanese mythology. Building off of this, one notable creature from Japanese folklore is rumored to be the basis for a powerful new item inFortnite’s next season.
Adding Oni Masks to the Chapter 6 Season 1 Loot Pool
The Significance of Oni Masks in Japan
According to Japanese folklore, the evil Oni are towering creatures — typically depicted as ogres or demons — whose most striking physical features are their horns and fangs. The Oni and its memorable visage have long inspired art of all kinds within Japanese culture, including the popular Oni masks. Most commonly colored red, blue, or black, Oni masks were seen as symbols of strength that supposedly brought their wearers good luck.
Everything Known About Fortnite’s Oni Masks
Oni masks have already been featured on multipleFortniteskins — such as Mystica from the Chapter 4 Season 2 battle pass — and have already been shown off on multiplesurvey skinsassumed to be coming in Chapter 6 Season 1. However, whenFortnite’s next season drops in December, the masks will apparently become usable items in Battle Royale. This would all but confirm the Japanese mythology theme for the new season and, according to user Loolo_WRLD on X, each mask in the game will have unique abilities corresponding to different element types within the game. Two of the leaked mask types mentioned are allegedly “flame” and “void.” If true, players will be able to obtain the masks from unique chests sprinkled across the map.
Besides the elemental types associated with these masks, it is currently unknown what the scale of their power would be. The Oni masks could be a new mythic item that grants abilities similar to those of theAvatar: The Last Airbenderitems from Chapter 5 Season 2. They could be a new iteration of the Chapter 5 medallions which granted passive abilities to anyone who claimed them.
Whichever routeFortnitegoes, it will have to be careful with the implementation of these masks. Mythics, medallions, and a handful of other season-specific items proved to be highly controversial in Chapter 5. Many of these items, such asWar Machine’s hover jets, were severely nerfed after competitive players complained about the items' imbalanced nature.
Oni masks are one of several gameplay updates expected to be added to the game when the new season arrives. Several leaks have indicated thatFortnitewill be adding the ability to go prone and the ability to swing on ropesthat can be found across the map. That said, the direct connection Oni masks have to next season’s theme could help to imbue the season with a unique identity. Many players complained about how one-note Chapter 5 Season 1 and its map were, stating that the game felt more likeCall of DutythanFortnite, and items like the Oni masks will hopefully allow Epic to kick off Chapter 6 in a more engaging way.
