The Fortnite crossover machine never stops, but one gaming giant has always remained frustratingly out of reach. That might be about to change. If the latest leaks are anything to go by, Nintendo is finally letting its guard down. Leaked images showing Metroid’s Samus Aran in the Fortnite engine have sent the community into a frenzy, pointing to a major collaboration set for Chapter 7 Season 1.
It is a massive deal. For years, Nintendo kept its characters locked in a first-party vault, refusing to let them mingle with rival console ecosystems. But the walls are crumbling.
The rumors started swirling early Tuesday when prominent community dataminers posted high-render images of the iconic intergalactic bounty hunter. The leaked assets show Samus in her signature orange and red Varia Suit, looking perfectly adapted to the game’s distinct art style. But that is not all. Leakers also claim players will get a Zero Suit style option, a custom Arm Cannon pickaxe, and a Morph Ball back bling.
This is not the first time Samus has been linked to the battle royale. Back during Chapter 2, court documents from the Epic v. Apple lawsuit revealed internal pitches featuring the Metroid protagonist. Yet, the crossover never materialized. Insiders later whispered that Nintendo demanded the skin only be visible to players on Nintendo Switch hardware. Epic, wanting a uniform experience across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, reportedly balked at the restriction. It seems the two giants have finally found common ground.
“It felt like we were never going to get a Nintendo skin,” says popular Fortnite content creator Marcus Vance. “Xbox has Master Chief, PlayStation has Kratos, but Nintendo players have been left out in the cold. If this is real, it is a historic shift for Nintendo.”
The company’s legendary protectiveness over its intellectual property is well-documented. Nintendo rarely allows its characters to appear on rival consoles. However, the gaming market has shifted. With Metroid Prime 4 on the horizon and Epic Games continuing to pull in massive global audiences, a marketing push of this scale makes perfect sense for both companies.
While Epic Games has not officially confirmed the crossover, the sheer detail in the leaked renders has convinced even the most skeptical players. The images show a level of polish that is hard to fake. Community hubs on Reddit and X are already flooded with fan concepts of how her glider—presumably her sleek gunship—will look in action.
So when can players actually buy the skin? Chapter 7 Season 1 is still several weeks away, but sources suggest Samus will be the crown jewel of the upcoming season’s gaming legends series. She will likely land in the Item Shop rather than the Battle Pass, allowing anyone to grab her immediately, regardless of their seasonal progress. Epic will probably price the bundle around 2,000 to 2,500 V-Bucks.
For now, fans will have to wait for an official teaser. But the hype train has officially left the station. After years of near-misses and failed negotiations, the galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter might finally be ready to claim her victory royale.
