Somehow, Star Wars has returned to Fortnite for May the 4th (video)

Fortnite Star Wars showcasing some of the new items available in this update.
(Image credit: Epic / Disney)

Things are getting busy in a galaxy far, far away ahead of the May the 4th celebrations, and that includes video games. We’ve just learned that Star Wars: Hunters is finally launching on Nintendo Switch and mobile phones next month, right alongside The Acolyte. Now, we also know that Fortnite and (for those who don't like the regular game) Lego Fortnite are also bringing back the Star Wars collaboration just as Tales of the Empire drops six shorts on Disney Plus this weekend.

Star Wars content and events of all sorts have become a recurring thing in the ever-growing online platform that is Fortnite. Those who played the game around 2019 probably remember that The Rise of Skywalker debuted an event that kicked off the plot of the movie (the late Emperor Palpatine's threatening speech) live inside the game. Less divisive were following collaborations such as numerous skins, a Mandalorian-themed season, the inclusion of lightsabers, or NPCs that held secrets and unique weapons, among others.

This year's celebrations bring back several older skins to the in-game store alongside new additions. Alongside this, NPCs like Darth Vader and his stormtroopers will be showing up again in Fortnite's main mode, carrying a number of unique, Star Wars-themed weapons up for grabs. But, more importantly, the three new Fortnite games (yes, permanent sub-games inside the main hub) – Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival – are getting brand-new drops of content that look genuinely cool. You can watch a trailer for the Lego side of the update below:

The official description of the Rebel Adventure update for Lego Fortnite teases that both the Empire and the Rebellion reach the blocky world after "heading to a rift." You’ll find them on a new island, where a Rebel Village must fend off the Imperials and try to gradually build up headquarters and more permanent defenses. Helping the Alliance will grant adventurous Lego Fortnite players several Star Wars items that will make the mission easier.

All the Star Wars goodies, old and new, arrive in Fortnite on May 3, giving fans an early celebration of the enduring space fantasy franchise. While the all-new Lego: Rebel Adventure pass, which contains free and premium rewards, will only be available until July 23, 2024, word is that the Rebel Village and its related Star Wars content will remain inside Lego Fortnite once the event has ended. This is yet another step towards Fortnite's promised Ready Player One-like digital shared universe powered by major franchises.

(Image credit: Epic / Disney)

The Star Wars machine is revving up once again, and we couldn't be more excited. On top of Tales of the Empire and The Acolyte on Disney Plus, we’re getting the first-ever open-world Star Wars game in Ubisoft Massive’s Star Wars Outlaws, which could very well become one of the best Star Wars games of all time. Moreover, we'll have a new movie in cinemas by summer 2026: The Mandalorian & Grogu.

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Fran Ruiz

Fran Ruiz is our resident Star Wars guy. His hunger for movies and TV series is only matched by his love for video games. He got a BA of English Studies, focusing on English Literature, from the University of Malaga, in Spain, as well as a Master's Degree in English Studies, Multilingual and Intercultural Communication. On top of writing features and other longform articles for Space.com since 2021, he is a frequent collaborator of VG247 and other gaming sites. He also serves as associate editor over at Star Wars News Net and its sister site, Movie News Net.