Snow-covered Battle Royale maps may not be the only surprise this Winterfest-dataminers hint at a magical crossover bringing Harry Potter skins, a flying broom Mythic, and mysterious new challenges that blur the line between Hogwarts and Fortnite’s frostbitten fight for victory.
On the other hand, the core Battle Royale island is still giving West Coast vibes with a sunny map and new POIs that players can either drop onto from the Battle Bus or even surf and catch a tide. Players have been wondering about when the annual Fortnite Winterfest update will go live in 2025, and if you’re one of those, here’s everything we know about the patch and all its leaked details.
When is Fortnite Winterfest 2025?
Fortnite Winterfest 2025 is expected to run from mid-December 2025 through early January 2026, matching the usual holiday event timeline. Players can visit the Winterfest Lodge daily to open presents containing free cosmetics, emotes, and sprays. Epic Games has not officially confirmed the exact start date yet, but leaks suggest the update featuring Winterfest content will arrive with the late December patch, bringing snowy map changes and limited-time challenges.
According to info by Twitter, Winterfest 2025 will arrive with update 39.11 on December 18, 2025. While Epic usually releases a Fortnite patch on Friday, the latest 39.10 update was released on Thursday, December 11.
So, as per the new update schedule, Fortnite Winterfest 2025 could release exactly 7 days after the last update was deployed. The update is expected to last until January 7, 2026, when update 39.20 will arrive.
Every Fortnite Winterfest 2025 Leak
Leaks for Winterfest 2025 suggest one of the most ambitious crossovers yet, centered around the Harry Potter universe. Early data-mined files hint at character skins for Harry, Hermione, and Voldemort, alongside a new “Broom” Mythic item that allows players to soar across the map. Festive cosmetics such as themed gliders, wraps, and emotes are also expected, fitting the snowy holiday atmosphere. Several trusted insiders claim new event challenges will tie into magical quests, offering unique rewards throughout the Winterfest period.
Harry Potter Collab with Skins and New Mythic Items
One of the biggest leaks for this year’s Winterfest in Fortnite is a Harry Potter collab that’s now officially announced by Epic Games. With Hogwarts Legacy going free on Epic Games Store, players can claim a free Chocolate Frog Back Bling in Fortnite with the collab. Furthermore, Epic has announced that during Winterfest, players will get customizable Hogwarts house-themed Outfits in the Item Shop.
Apart from the cosmetics, leaks also suggest that a new Flying Broom mythic item will be released, alongside Harry Potter-themed Winterfest quests in Battle Royale for some free rewards.
Winterfest Cabin Returns with Free Gifts
Winterfest Cabin (or Lodge) is an annual addition in each year’s Fortnite Winterfest, and the 2025 edition is going to be no exception. The cabin menu is rumored to return to the game, bringing a new gift for players to open and claim a free cosmetic item each day until Winterfest lasts in January.
Winter Hatsune Miku Collab
Twitter is also rumored to return in Fortnite with a new Winter Miku skin with a white outfit and new emotes and cosmetic items. While the collab itself hasn’t been officially announced, we’re confident Miku will have a feature similar to the Mariah Carey collab in the game, where she’ll also be an NPC on the map.
New Winter Skins
Apart from the usual collabs, Fortnite also drops some original Twitter during the Winterfest update. This year, players will get skins like Chilly the Snowguy, Jingle Pig, CheckMate, Princess of the Slopes, and Into the Maelstrom.
When does Winterfest 2025 start and end
Fortnite Winterfest 2025 ran from December 18, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The event launched with update v39.10 at 9 AM ET and concluded at 9 AM ET on the end date.
Key Details
Players accessed the Winterfest Cabin for daily free gifts, though presents were non-stackable unlike prior years. It overlapped with Fortnite OG Season 7, featuring snowy map areas like Polar Peak.
Current Status
As of January 18, 2026, the event has ended, with no extensions reported. Missed gifts became unobtainable after the cutoff.
Exact start and end dates for Winterfest 2025 in Fortnite
Fortnite Winterfest 2025 started on December 18, 2025, at 9:00 AM ET and ended on January 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET.
Event Schedule
The event launched alongside update v39.10, enabling access to the Winterfest Cabin for daily presents that refreshed each day at 9:00 AM ET. Presents were non-stackable this year, requiring daily logins to claim all 14 gifts, with missed ones becoming unobtainable.
Post-Event Status
By January 18, 2026, Winterfest 2025 has fully concluded across all regions, including adjusted end times like 3:00 PM CET in Europe and 1:00 AM AEDT in Australia. No extensions occurred, aligning with Epic Games’ announcements.
