Monkey D. Luffy is about to set sail for a brand new island. Epic Games has officially confirmed that One Piece is crossing over with Fortnite, bringing Eiichiro Oda's legendary pirate saga to one of the biggest games in the world.
The confirmation came in the most fitting way possible. The official Fortnite account posted a teaser with three straw hat emojis and nothing else, a clear nod to Luffy's iconic hat:
A Treasure Hunt Fit For A Future Pirate King
The crossover is part of Fortnite's next mini-season, Treasure Hunters, which closes out Chapter 7 and begins on November 1. Epic introduced it with a treasure map teaser and the tagline "The greatest adventure of all!", which feels like it could have come straight out of the Straw Hats' own journey toward the One Piece.
Fans had suspected a One Piece tie-in for a while. Hints that the mini-season would focus on the series first popped up back in September, and Fortnite's social accounts did little to shut down the speculation. A giant pirate chest wrapped in gold chains also turned up on the island, adding to the excitement.
The Treasure Hunters teaser may also be hinting at other guests. Fans believe it teases Hatsune Miku returning as a Fortnite Sprite, along with a Sprite version of Kasane Teto, though Epic has not confirmed either yet.
Which Straw Hats Could Join Fortnite?
Epic has not revealed which characters are included, but Luffy is all but guaranteed. Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji seem like strong picks for the first wave, while Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook and Jinbe would round out the full crew.
There is also plenty of room for fan-favorite rivals and allies. Shanks, Trafalgar Law, Boa Hancock and Portgas D. Ace are among the most popular characters in the series, and any of them would be a huge get for the Item Shop. A Gear 5 Luffy skin would almost certainly be one of the most talked-about cosmetics of the year.
Fans are also hoping for gameplay additions. Previous anime collabs have brought signature abilities into the game, and something like Luffy's Gum-Gum Pistol, Zoro's three-sword style or a Going Merry or Thousand Sunny landmark would fit a pirate-themed mini-season perfectly. Emotes based on the crew's most memorable moments, like Brook's Bink's Sake performance or the Straw Hats' arm-raising farewell to Vivi, would also be an easy win.
Nearly 30 Years Of One Piece
One Piece first set sail in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997, and the manga has now been running for nearly 30 years. The Toei Animation anime is closing in on 1,200 episodes, and the series has expanded into films, games and Netflix's live-action adaptation starring Inaki Godoy as Luffy.
The Straw Hats are no strangers to video games either. Over the last quarter century, they have starred in titles ranging from the One Piece: Pirate Warriors series to One Piece Odyssey and the cozy cooking and restaurant sim One Piece: Grand Gourmet. They also showed up alongside other Jump heroes in Jump Force in 2019.
Fortnite will give the series a different kind of spotlight. The game has become a major home for anime crossovers, with Dragon Ball, Naruto, My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer all making appearances. One Piece has been one of the most requested additions for years, so this collab has been a long time coming.
With the Treasure Hunters mini-season starting November 1, the full reveal of the Straw Hats' Fortnite look should not be far away.
Would you rather see Luffy arrive in Fortnite in his classic look or in his Gear 5 form?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.