Fortnite: Everything We know About Obi-Wan And The Return Of Lightsabers

It might not be a combination as famous as peanut butter and jelly, but Fortnite and lightsabers have gone together just fine. The elegant Jedi weapons first appeared during a live event in Chapter 2 Season 1 before making a brief return for a few days in May 2020.

They’ve been vaulted ever since, but given the Star Wars brand has been a continuous collaborator with Fortnite, it was probably only a matter of time until they reappeared. Thanks to some recent leaks, we now know there’s a chance that time is coming soon.

Let’s dive into everything we know about the return of lightsabers in Fortnite and what kind of event might be bringing them back.

Popular Fortnite news and leaks expert FNAssist recently found some interesting tidbits in the game’s v19.10 files. These included animations, visual effects, melee combat codes and lightsaber gameplay abilities, as well data on when to execute these abilities and animations.

This tracks with earlier versions of the lightsaber in Fortnite: It was a Melee weapon that could be used in close combat for a lot more damage than swinging a pickaxe at someone. It also allowed players to perform combos and even block incoming damage, in similar fashion to the Kingsman umbrella.

FNAssist noted that these leaks could just mean Epic Games is readying a similar melee weapon, but it’s more likely that lightsabers are going to be unvaulted

Almost immediately, speculation focused on the possibility of an Obi-Wan Kenobi tie-in as the way that lightsabers would reappear. Why? For starters, it’s one of just two Star Wars TV series coming to Disney+ in 2022. There’s also Andor, about the Rebel spy introduced in the movie Rogue One, which could air before Obi-Wan Kenobi.

But an Obi-Wan event in Fortnite makes more sense because Kenobi was a Jedi master who actually used a lightsaber. Thematically speaking, there couldn’t be a more apt Star Wars show or movie on the horizon to bring lightsabers back into play.

The problem is it makes guessing a date for the return of lightsabers almost impossible; Disney hasn’t announced a premiere date for Obi-Wan Kenobi yet. Just before or after the first episode is a safe bet for an Obi-Wan event to run in Fortnite.

For their first two appearances, we saw four different lightsabers in Fortnite: Kylo Ren’s (red with his trademark vents/crossguards), Rey’s (blue), Luke’s (green), and Mace Windu’s (purple). The stats for all four models were identical, so picking which one to wield was largely a matter of personal preference.

Natural additions to this lineup would be Obi-Wan’s lightsabers. He built and used three during various portions of the overall Star Wars narrative. It’s also possible that Epic could add more from characters in the upcoming show itself, or from those famous for their encounters with Kenobi. Think General Grievous and Darth Maul, for starters.

Assuming for a moment that the Fortnite community is wrong about an Obi-Wan event, another real possibility is Star Wars Day in May, otherwise known as May the Fourth. The last time lightsabers were unvaulted was in conjunction with Star Wars Day 2020, so a logical guess for more lightsabers this year would be the same date.

What, lightsabers aren’t enough for you? Just kidding. It’s tough to do detailed predictions about what else could arrive in an Obi-Wan event because Disney has been pretty tight-lipped about the show itself. All we know is that it is set after Episode III, will at least begin with Obi-Wan on Tatooine watching over a young Luke Skywalker, and sets him on a “rollicking adventure”.

But Fortnite fans do love to speculate, so let’s give it a shot. Prior Star-Wars-themed events have featured things like characters, skins, and additional weapons. There could also be new vehicles or creatures that Disney wants to showcase. What better way to expose them to a wide audience that may or may not be watching Obi-Wan Kenobi than inserting them into Fortnite?

Keep your eyes on your favorite leakers and the official Fortnite channels for more hints as we get further into 2022. And it might be a good idea to practice your lightsaber swinging in the meantime, just in case.Article author: Nick Tylwalk is a longtime writer and editor who wants everyone to remember that mobile games are games too. He's also a fitted hat aficionado, and a racing and combat sports enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Tylwalk.