In short

  • Leaked: Fortnite is reportedly working on finishing moves for knocked players, according to well-known leaker HYPEX.
  • How they'd work: both players get locked into a synced animation, and Epic can add more than one animation.
  • Quests are coming too: HYPEX says "Finish Downed Players" quests will be added.
  • Not confirmed: Epic hasn't announced finishers, and there's no release date.

Fortnite could soon let you finish off knocked players with a special animation. Leaker HYPEX shared the details on X, saying Epic is working on finishing moves that lock both players into one animation. It's not official yet, but it would be one of the biggest changes to Fortnite fights in years.

What did HYPEX find?

HYPEX's post lists four details:

  • You'll be able to finish knocked players, the players who are down but not yet eliminated.
  • Both players get locked into a synced animation while it plays.
  • Multiple animations can be added to the game.
  • "Finish Downed Players" quests will be added.

HYPEX is one of the most trusted Fortnite leakers, and many of their finds have turned out to be real. But features found in the game's files can change or never come out, so treat this as a leak until Epic confirms it.

How would Fortnite finishing moves work?

Right now, when you knock a player in Duos, Trios or Squads, you finish them by shooting or hitting them until they're eliminated. A finishing move would add a second option: walk up, press a button, and play an animation that eliminates them.

"Synced" is the key word. Fortnite already has synced emotes, which play one animation across two players at once. HYPEX shared gameplay of an unreleased synced emote called Benched only a few weeks ago, as Happy Gamer reported. Finishers look like the same idea, used in a fight.

Our theories: what could finishers mean for Fortnite?

These are our ideas, not leaks. Here's where we think finishers could go.

Theory 1: finishers become cosmetics you can buy

HYPEX says multiple animations can be added, which sounds a lot like a new type of cosmetic. Other battle royales already sell finishers, so Fortnite could put them in the Item Shop or the Battle Pass, next to emotes and pickaxes. A collab finisher, like a Luffy punch, would be an easy sell.

Theory 2: they'd be risky to use

If both players are locked into an animation, the player doing the finisher can't move or shoot while it plays. That makes finishers a show-off move. You'd only use one when the area is clear, or you could get eliminated mid-animation.

Theory 3: they might not be in Ranked or tournaments

Because they lock you in place, Epic might keep finishers out of competitive modes. That's a guess, but it would stop them changing how pro fights work.

Theory 4: Chapter 8 could bring them in

New chapters usually bring the biggest gameplay changes. Treasure Hunters is a mini season, and a big new feature like this feels more like a new chapter launch. Read our Chapter 8 theory for more on what could come next.

Theory 5: creators showed the demand first

Players have already made finishers in Fortnite Creative. The island Anime Finishers by stormstudios (code 3626-0962-5631) is built around finishing moves. Epic often watches what's popular in Creative before adding something to Battle Royale.

How has Fortnite movement changed over the years?

Finishers would be part of a long run of changes to how players move and fight:

  • Chapter 2 (2019): swimming arrived with the new map.
  • Chapter 3 (2021–22): sliding, sprinting, mantling (climbing up ledges) and hurdling were added.
  • Chapter 5 (December 2023): movement and animations were reworked to feel faster and smoother.
  • Chapter 6 (December 2024): Epic added Ledge Jump, Roll Landing, Wall Kick and Wall Scramble, as esports.gg explains.
  • May 2025: Epic removed Wall Kick and Roll Landing from Battle Royale, about six months after they arrived, as Insider Gaming reported. They stayed in creator-made islands, and Epic said it would keep testing new movement ideas.

That last point matters. Epic tries new mechanics, watches how players use them, and removes the ones that don't work. Finishers could go the same way: added, tested and tweaked based on what players think.

What we don't know yet

  • When finishing moves are coming, or if they'll come out at all.
  • Which modes they'll be in.
  • Whether they'll be free or sold as cosmetics.
  • What the "Finish Downed Players" quests reward.

FAQ

Is Fortnite adding finishing moves?

It's reportedly being worked on, according to leaker HYPEX. Epic hasn't confirmed it.

How do finishing moves work in Fortnite?

From the leak, you'd finish a knocked player with an animation that locks both of you in place until it ends.

When are finishing moves coming to Fortnite?

There's no date. Big features like this often arrive with a new chapter, but that's a guess.

Will there be different finishers?

HYPEX says multiple animations can be added, so it looks likely.

We'll update this story if Epic confirms finishing moves or more details leak.