The month-long Fortnite x The Simpsons season kicks off this weekend with “Springfield Island,” an 80-player battle royale map that recreates the entire town in cel-shaded, cartoon-perfect detail. Players can fight it out at Moe’s Tavern, the Kwik-E-Mart, the Nuclear Power Plant, and even the Simpsons’ own living room. The Springfield Battle Pass includes Homer, Marge, and Ned Flanders skins (also, there’s an Evil Homer and Witch Marge version), plus new “Sidekicks” like Blinky Fishstick and Springfielder Peely - because nothing says “innovation” like reskinning a banana in yellow pants.
Honestly, on the Fortnite side, this collab is pretty impressive. The attention to detail, the map design, and the integration with other Epic properties (even Rocket League is getting Springfield content) show just how massive Fortnite’s pop culture influence has become.
But on The Simpsons side? Oof. As part of the launch, they released an animated shorts that feel... let’s just say, less inspired. Like “someone handed in their homework five minutes before class” levels of lazy. It's awkward, rushed, and weirdly unfunny - which is wild considering this is The Simpsons.
Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by the scale of it all. This collab also marks a new chapter in Disney’s partnership with Epic Games, after their $1.5 billion investment last year. Which means yes - we are officially entering the “Marge Simpson might fly with Darth Vader in a DeLorean” phase of human history.
So, whether you’re a longtime Springfield resident or just someone who wants to drop a victory crown on Comic Book Guy, you can now do it. Welcome to the strangest crossover in pop culture - and honestly, we probably deserve it.
