Everything we know about the new Fortnite game mode

A new Fortnite game mode has been rumoured to be in the works at Epic Games for a while now. The recent confirmation that Fortnite content creators were invited to test something new has all but officially confirmed that Fortnite’s new mode is not only on its way, but could be arriving sooner than we think. 

We’re going to look at all the current leaks and rumours related to the upcoming Fortnite game mode, including those from prominent Fortnite data miners and potential release dates. 

What is the new Fortnite game mode?

While not much is officially known about the new game mode in Fortnite, in February 2025 – almost a year ago at the time of writing– Fortnite leakers @Loolo_WRLD and @BeastFNCreative posted that Epic Games were working on a new mode with the code name “Pimlico”. The leakers also revealed that this game mode seemed to be in collaboration with Warner Bros. 

In October 2025, @Loolo_WRLD, @HYPEX, and @EpicDBOrg posted about the potential game mode again, saying it could be centred on basketball and that one of the challenges that Epic Games was facing was integrating physics and animations for specific characters and unique abilities. 

This led to speculation whether this new game mode could be related to the Space Jam movie franchise, which features classic Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters playing basketball alongside star players, like Michael Jordan in Space Jam 1 and LeBron James in Space Jam 2. Space Jam 1 featuerd only Looney Tunes characters, but the second movie used a variety of characters from across Warner Bros. properties, with characters like Rick and Morty, the Iron Giant, and Godzilla making cameos. This seems like something that would fit into Fortnite well, particularly since Fortnite is known for being the ultimate crossover game.  

When is the new Fortnite game mode coming out?

As mentioned, Fortnite content creators recently had the opportunity to try out a new mode at Fortnite HQ. Creators such as Pack A Puncher and Happy Happy Gal took to social media to post about their playtesting. While they didn’t reveal much, they did note that the game mode was being revealed sooner rather than later, with Pack A Puncher saying that the game mode is “coming very soon” and Happy Happy Gal actively confirming that she will be posting gameplay content on her YouTube channel on January 21 at 9 am EST. 

Another prominent Fortnite leaker, @ShiinaBR, also noted that January 21 will be a significant date for the new game mode due to the gameplay dropping. However, they went on to say that “the new mode is expected to drop in V39.30”, which arrives only a day later on January 22, 2026. This is quite a lot sooner than many expected, as the leaks went quiet for a while following that October 2025 update. 

Leaker @AdrinaFNInfo – who has also offered up a lot of speculative information about Pimlico – revealed a leaked teaser image which shows a silhouette of a Fall Guys character with a basketball. This suggests that Fall Guys will have a significant role in the game mode. Whether there will be more characters, or if Pimlico is a collab with Warner Bros. based on Space Jam, remains to be seen, but this teaser image suggests that Fall Guys will be a major collaboration involved with the new mode. 

Has the new Fortnite Game mode been confirmed?

At the time of writing (January 16, 2026), Pimlico has not been officially confirmed. However, Epic Games willingly allowed content creators to not only play the upcoming game mode but also post about it and showcase gameplay on particular dates. This would not happen if Epic were actively trying to keep the new mode hidden. They are clearly trying to build hype for the new content without officially confirming anything until much closer to the time, so it’s safe to say that a new game mode is definitely coming and will be released soon, even if Epic hasn’t said anything directly about it just yet. 

Conclusion

That’s everything that we know about the new Fortnite game mode so far. There have been tons of leaks from reliable leakers about Pimlico, and playtests from established Fortnite content creators confirm that something is in the works. The gameplay reveal via these creators also suggests the mode is likely coming very soon, even if it is just an early version. 

The leaked Fall Guys image does throw a bit of a spanner in the works regarding the Space Jam theories, but there is no telling what the image could mean. It could simply be that the Fall Guys are just playable characters, or that they have their own version of the game. We’ll have to wait until the gameplay drops on January 21 to see exactly what Pimlico is and what it will bring to Fortnite. 

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