Fortnite’s locker is stuffed with hundreds of emotes, but some are rarer than a win in Zero Build with stick drift. Whether locked behind time-limited bundles or mysteriously vanished without a trace, these emotes have become legends: flex-worthy, envy-inducing, and practically extinct. If you’ve got one of these in your inventory, congrats: you’re either a seasoned vet or just really good at impulse buying in 2018.
From head-bobbing icons to toxic taunts that may have been retired for everyone’s sanity, we’re breaking down the rarest Fortnite emotes you’ll probably never own. Let’s tour the emotes that slipped through most players’ fingers and danced off into Fortnite myth.
Fresh
Fresh is one of the rarest Fortnite emotes out there, and not just because it hasn’t been seen in years, it’s likely never coming back. Inspired by Carlton Banks’ iconic dance from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the emote was an instant classic.
But what should have been a timeless classic quickly turned into a legal headache. Actor Alfonso Ribeiro filed a lawsuit against Epic Games, claiming the dance was used without his permission. In response, Fresh was quietly removed from the Item Shop and hasn’t made a single return since November 2018. With no updates or comments from Epic, it’s widely believed this emote has been permanently shelved. If you see it in a match today, you’re either looking at a relic of Fortnite history or someone who never stopped playing since Chapter 1.
Head Banger
Head Banger was part of the Travis Scott Icon Series set, released during Fortnite’s massive Astronomical event in 2020. The emote features a chill, head-bobbing loop.
It hasn’t reappeared since April 2020, and given the nature of music collaborations and the controversy surrounding Scott in recent years, the odds of it returning seem slim. If Head Banger is in your locker, count yourself lucky; you’ve got one of the cleanest, coolest, and most unattainable emotes. Galaxy brain plays deserve galaxy-tier cosmetics, after all.
Lightning Kick!
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Street Fighter fans were thrilled when Chun-Li landed in Fortnite, but her Lightning Kick! emote made the biggest splash. It’s a faithful recreation of her signature move, complete with sound effects and a flurry of kicks. But like many crossover emotes, Lightning Kick! hasn’t stuck around.
It hasn’t been seen since August 2022, and its absence may be due to expired licensing or Epic’s habit of vaulting crossover content indefinitely. Unless Epic pulls off a surprise comeback, your chances of getting it now are slimmer than landing a perfect combo in the middle of a lag spike.
Freewheelin’
Unlike most emotes in the shop, Freewheelin’ wasn’t a standalone purchase. It was included in the Derby Dynamo Challenge Pack and hasn’t been available since late 2021. Once that promotion ended, Freewheelin’ rolled away for good. That means unless you specifically bought the pack during its limited window, you’ve got no way of adding this smooth-riding groove to your locker.
Epic doesn’t tend to bring back these kinds of bundles, so the odds of Freewheelin’ returning are pretty low. It’s not just rare, it’s paywalled and time-gated. A triple threat of unavailability. Who knew cycling could be so exclusive?
Laugh It Up
Laugh It Up might not be rare in the same way as Fresh or Head Banger, but it’s infamous. This emote, featuring a loud donkey laugh and exaggerated slapping motion, became a staple of Fortnite’s most toxic players.
It was commonly used to taunt opponents after eliminations and hasn’t appeared in the Item Shop since May 2022. While Epic hasn’t confirmed anything, some players speculate it was quietly vaulted to reduce toxic behavior in matches. After all, nothing ruins a good session like being laughed at by a default skin with a full gold loadout. If it comes back, expect the community to split between those who miss trolling and those who never want to hear that laugh again
Freezing Burst
This frosty flex belongs to none other than Kratos himself. The Freezing Burst emote is tied to the God of War set and features the Spartan dad casually shaking frost off the Leviathan Axe like it’s just another day of vengeance-fueled parenting. It’s simple, clean, and undeniably cool, literally.
Last seen on March 19, 2021, it hasn’t reappeared in over 1,500 days, making it one of the rarest emotes in Fortnite’s sprawling cosmetics vault. Since Kratos was part of a major PlayStation crossover and Epic loves vaulting exclusives, there’s no guarantee we’ll see this one return.
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