Fortnite players in India and globally are in for a chaotic treat as Epic Games prepares to launch a major crossover event with the iconic animated series, South Park. This collaboration, marking the first significant update of 2026, is scheduled to go live on January 9 after a brief server maintenance period.
What's New in the Fortnite South Park Update?
The headline feature is the long-awaited introduction of five-player squads, a feature leaked earlier and now officially dubbed the "Quints" mode. This new team size is set to become available in less than 24 hours from the update's release and will remain in the game until February 5. While it's not yet confirmed if this larger squad size will apply to all core modes like Battle Royale, Zero Build, and Fortnite OG, its debut alongside this event suggests Epic Games is testing community reception.
The collaboration brings the foul-mouthed kids of South Park into the battle royale with special character skins. Players will be able to purchase outfits for Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Butters, all designed in unique mech-style suits. The update also integrates a new point of interest called Cartmanland into the map and introduces a special "Stick of Truth" item for players to find and use during matches.
Event Details and a Free Mini-Pass
Epic Games is shaking up its usual approach by making the associated Born in Chaos pass completely free, a departure from previous mini-passes that required payment. However, the South Park character skins will not be part of this free pass and must be bought separately from the in-game item shop.
The event's narrative is pure South Park humor, as shown in the official trailer. It features the main four characters leaving Butters out of the squad because he's not great at Fortnite. In response, Butters, in his Professor Chaos costume, uses the Stick of Truth to transport the South Park school bus into the game as a Battle Bus, forcing the group to accept him as their fifth member—thus introducing the Quints feature.
Additional content includes the character Towelie as a sidekick and the Cartmanland area, which is expected to be filled with hidden Easter eggs for dedicated fans to discover.
A Major Start to Fortnite's 2026
This update is significant as it delivers a highly requested feature that many expected at the start of Chapter 7. By bundling the five-player squad mode with a high-profile pop-culture collaboration, Epic Games ensures massive player engagement right at the beginning of the year.
This South Park crossover follows a series of other recent Fortnite partnerships with franchises and personalities like Kill Bill, Kim Kardashian, and Percy Jackson, continuing Epic's strategy of keeping the game fresh with constant cultural integrations. For Indian gamers, this update promises a fresh meta and hilarious new content to explore with larger groups of friends.
