With the release of season 3 of Stranger Things tomorrow, July 4, it would seem that Fortnite is taking another stab at a pop culture crossover. Portals, with a very Upside Down appearance, have been appearing inside the Mega Mall. While the portals don’t actually transport players to the Upside Down (thankfully), it does introduce an interesting mechanic to the gameplay, and may also hint at a more full-fledged crossover on the horizon.
The portals, of which there are six total scattered around the Mega Mall, transport players not to the Upside Down, but rather another portal in the Mall. While the Mega Mall is already a chaotic dropzone, adding portals into the mix means you can easily sneak up on an unsuspecting victim on the other side of the mall, or be flanked yourself by an enemy emerging from a nearby portal. Players are highly encouraged to keep tabs on the portal locations and plan accordingly when looting the Mall.
The appearance of the portals suggests that a more complete crossover is on the way, much like Fortnite‘s previous ones with the Avengers, the NFL, and even John Wick. A recent report from Dot Esports claims that data miners have discovered sound files and character skins within the game’s code relating to the Netflix series. It would seem there may not be much longer to wait for a full Stranger Things takeover.
As we know, Fortnite is no stranger to bringing in pop culture references to the Battle Royale Island, but Stranger Things is also no noob to the video game scene either. In the downtime between the first and second season of the show, Netflix released free-to-play 16-bit retro game for iOS and Android. Another game was announced for the newest season as well, Stranger Things 3: The Game, releasing tomorrow to coincide with the release of season 3. Unlike the first, however, the new game will be playable on PS4, PC, Mac, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, as well as iOS and Android.