Fortnite Festival Kicks Off Season 10 with Gorillaz

With the launch of Season 10 on August 26, the Fortnite Festival returns to the spotlight, introducing a new world-class headliner: Gorillaz. Following the departure of Bruno Mars, the virtual group comprised of 2D, Noodle, Russel, and Murdoc brings a wave of exclusive content to the Epic Games digital stage, including licensed tracks and updates that music mode fans have been anticipating for months.

This is the second time, following last summer's experiment with Metallica, that the Festival has featured a band instead of a single artist. Epic, however, has taken a different approach, leveraging Gorillaz's cartoon aesthetic with cel-shaded skins and character distribution across the store and Music Pass.

A 2D and Noodle bundle will be available in the store throughout the season, complete with themed accessories like a microphone and guitar, as well as a camo, a contrail, and iconic songs from the band. Among these is the Clint Eastwood jam track, along with an emote and the track by Dare. The entire set can be purchased as a bundle or individually, leaving players free to choose.

The other members of the group are unlocked through the new paid Music Pass, available for 1,400 V-Bucks or included in the Fortnite Crew subscription. Purchasing it immediately grants Russel's skin, while leveling up with experience gained in any game mode will progressively earn you officially licensed instruments, back bling, and jam tracks, culminating in Murdoc as the final reward.

Among the songs included are "On Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz, "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots, "Run It Up" by Hanumankind, and "Montagem Tomada" by MXZI. Free rewards include a keytar, an extra drum kit, an aura, and four new original songs produced by Epic.

The new season also brings some quality-of-life improvements to Festival mode, which rarely receives substantial updates throughout the year. These include a redesign of the "lift" notes for more readability (which can be disabled in the settings), new "Good" feedback alongside "Perfect" to better track performances, and the ability to sort songs by length and difficulty. Additionally, owners of guitars and other peripherals will now be able to calibrate them more precisely using the built-in "tuneup" tool. Completing the package is a new Gorillaz-themed Main Stage, ready to become the hub of digital performances.

Unusually, Epic has already dropped a hint about what's to come with Season 11. The company is talking about a "Festival celebration" with "original Fortnite rewards and amazing music." This statement suggests a possible change of direction, without an external musical headliner, but with content entirely designed in-house.