Doctor Doom has once again been thrust into the forefront of nerd culture — and, as a result, he's wreaking havoc in "Fortnite" once more. Ahead of the "Absolute Doom" season's August 16 launch, a trailer has been released to whet players' appetites, and fans have been analyzing every little detail.
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00:00Doctor Doom has once again been thrust into the forefront of nerd culture,
00:04and as a result, he's wreaking havoc in Fortnite once more. Ahead of the absolute
00:09Doom season's August 16th launch, a trailer has been released to whet players' appetites,
00:14and fans have been analyzing every little detail.
00:18The X-Men have been crushing it recently thanks to the release of X-Men 97, a revival of the
00:23beloved X-Men the Animated Series. The new series picks up where the original left off,
00:28expanding on the dramatic and often volatile lives of its titular mutant heroes.
00:33As shown in the latest trailer for Fortnite Absolute Doom, a few of the X-Men will be
00:38joining Fortnite and its complicated timeline in the form of new character skins. This includes
00:43characters like Cyclops and Jubilee, as well as other heroes sporting their Jim Lee-designed
00:48outfits from the classic cartoon and X-Men 97. For example, Cyclops has his Y-shaped belt draped
00:54over his shoulder, while Jubilee is sporting her classic yellow jacket and pink shades.
01:00What's so wrong with being a mutant anyway? No, not again!
01:05While these characters have had many different iterations and costumes throughout the years,
01:10using the 90s designs feels like an obvious move to make.
01:13The nostalgia is working for fans, with one gamer on Reddit remarking, quote,
01:17"...I love that we're getting more classic suit X-Men, especially Cyclops."
01:22With other X-Men already in the game, players are also happy to have nearly a complete set of skins
01:27for the entire cast of X-Men 97. Sadly, it seems fan-favorite character Morph is still
01:32missing from the Fortnite roster, but there's still hope that the shape-shifting jokester
01:36will eventually have a chance to join the rest of the team.
01:40Completely new character skins aren't the only thing that the new Absolute
01:44Doom trailer has shown off. It looks like some of the game's original characters are
01:47receiving their own new Marvel-themed skins. Jonesy's new Captain America-inspired outfit
01:53is showcased heavily throughout the trailer, combining the most recognizable character in
01:57Fortnite with one of the biggest superheroes of all time. This costume is clearly inspired by
02:02the one Steve Rogers wore as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the comics and the film Captain America The
02:07Winter Soldier. Looking a bit closer at the skin, some fans have noted the larger shoulder pads
02:12and more militaristic look feel closer to the Winter Soldier's aesthetic.
02:16Overall, fans seem to be split on Jonesy's new outfit. Some fans believe that the skin looks
02:21great and is a welcome addition to the game, while others feel like the skin is an example
02:26of a wasted opportunity — particularly when the Winter Soldier himself could have been added
02:30instead, as one Redditor put it. My problem is, there are other Marvel skins I would rather have,
02:35and I feel Jonesy is a bit overdone.
02:38I know you have no reason to trust me, but… oh no. Hang on! Let's talk! Let's talk!"
02:44Doctor Doom isn't the only Marvel villain joining Fortnite during Absolute Doom.
02:48Iconic Spider-Man adversary Mysterio, aka Quentin Beck, will also be making his way
02:53to the Battle Royale in a big way. Although the character appeared in the MCU during Spider-Man
02:58Far From Home, Mysterio's design in the trailer more closely resembles his classic comic appearance,
03:04albeit with a bit of extra flair thrown in. In the trailer, Mysterio is shown using his powers
03:09of illusion to split himself into multiple hostile targets that players have to take out.
03:14This ability should seem all too familiar for fans of Spider-Man games.
03:18Mysterio used this exact gimmick in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
03:21"...Mysterio will always be a villain, just as Spider-Man will always be a hero."
03:28In the 2023 release, Miles Morales has to face Mysterio in multiple boss battles,
03:33as he teleports and attacks the player from all fronts with multiple illusory clones.
03:38While this gimmick may be a bit annoying to wrap your head around at first,
03:41it makes for a chaotic and interesting battle. It's also a perfect fit for the wacky,
03:46mind-bending antics that Mysterio brings to the table. Many fans are already discussing how the
03:51character will function with this ability in gameplay itself, with some suggesting that
03:55Mysterio's illusions will function similarly to Mirage from Apex Legends.
04:00Cyclops
04:01The trailer for Fortnite's Absolute Doom also features a fairly niche reference
04:05that might fly over most young gamers' heads. Cyclops is shown approaching Jonesy and offering
04:10him a strong handshake, which probably looks like nothing more than a friendly gesture shared
04:15between two heroic characters. However, old-school fighting game fans will immediately clock that
04:20this gesture pays homage to one of Cyclops' most iconic video game appearances. In the intro to
04:26X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Cyclops and Ryu share a very similar handshake to the one shown in the
04:32Absolute Doom trailer. A similar pose has since been seen in a number of Capcom-Marvel collaborations,
04:37much to the delight of fans. For some, this small reference gives Fortnite some credibility as a
04:42crossover with the X-Men franchise, showing that the game still pays attention to the classics.
04:47Others are hoping that Cyclops' handshake could become an emote for players to use.
04:51A longtime fan commented,
04:53They 100% should add the emote and bring back the Street Fighter bundle so Cyclops can do
04:58that with Ryu. Until that moment, the Cyclops handshake will remain as a nice moment in a
05:03trailer full of cool references. During the release of Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 4,
05:09the game introduced a slew of new Marvel skins to players, including beloved mutants like Wolverine
05:14and Storm. However, a small moment from the trailer for the Nexus War event has stood out
05:19in the minds of fans since its release. At one point in that trailer, the Fortnite and Marvel
05:24characters prepare for battle against one another. After Wolverine readies his claws,
05:29Peely responds by extending his own banana claws. It's, uh… weird.
05:37I can't do this.
05:38Although this was simply meant as a small visual gag at first, fans latched onto the idea of Peely
05:43having his own set of claws in the game. Three years later, Absolute Doom has given those fans
05:47what they want. Not only has Peely been given his own set of claws, but also a whole alternate skin
05:53themed after Wolverine. Peelverine will join the game's lengthy list of Logan-themed skins,
05:58which includes characters like X-23 and Wolverine Zero. While some fans are shocked it took this
06:03long to bring this skin to… wait for it… fruition, tons of players are already falling
06:09in love with the Wolverine-flavored Peely skin.