After years of collaborations with Disney on Marvel and Star Wars, it’s finally happened: The Simpsons have arrived in Fortnite. Whereas most of these crossovers comprise themed skins and emotes, this is a complete takeover, with an entire stylised map based on Springfield to explore. It’s a smart way of introducing American TV’s longest-running sitcom to a younger audience – especially with news of a second movie on the way – but for millennials, this is the culmination of a year-long campaign to catch our attention, if previous collabs with Power Rangers, Scream and Mortal Kombat are anything to go by.
Though this could have been a quick ploy for those who grew up on a diet of afterschool BBC Two repeats to open their wallets, it’s no lazy cash-in. The familiar sights of Springfield you’d expect are here: there’s the Simpsons home on Evergreen Terrace, the sloping lawns of Burns Manor, and a town square with Moe’s Tavern and a statue of Jebediah Springfield, detachable head and all. Towards the edge of the map is the nuclear power plant, pumping cartoon steam into the sky, featuring meltdowns that you can avert by tapping a control console to the tune of “eeny, meeny, miny, moe”. Cletus’s farm and a Slurp factory (the game’s spin on Duff – no beer on tap here) sit on the corners of the island, and every match starts with a charming recreation of the show’s intro, complete with parting clouds, title card and iconic theme song, before you thank Otto as you leave the battle bus and descend on to the map.
We’ve had virtual depictions of Springfield before (though not for a while – the most recent were Tapped Out in 2012 and LEGO Dimensions in 2015), but never rendered with this level of detail. Playing is like stepping into the animation. Springfield is on the smaller side as far as Fortnite maps go, and while it’s mostly as you’d imagine it, there is the odd quirk: the Hollywood-style Springfield sign is in the middle, not overlooking the town, and surely Springfield Gorge, centerpiece of memorable episode Bart the Daredevil, isn’t this close to the residential streets where Homer, Marge and Ned Flanders live.
No matter: Springfield’s geography has always been a mystery, and what counts is that this dense recreation is a joy to explore. The secret to Fortnite’s map design over the years is its knack for making good use of the space between larger landmarks, and here it’s an opportunity to cram in references for longtime Simpsons fans to uncover, whether it’s stumbling upon a 33 cents store or the forever-burning tire yard. Exploration is interrupted by optional quests with fun cameos, where a set of car keys can lead to a joyride at Homer’s behest, or picking up a ringing payphone results in a prank call to Moe’s. Encountering boss characters such as Krusty, who appear across the map, see Nelson briefly appear to let out his telltale “Ha ha!” upon their demise.
There’s a lot packed in; after a dozen or so matches, I’m still making new discoveries. If there’s a fault, it’s that the map has to be played in competitive settings, the storm circle ever closing in and moving you on; I wish there was a way to explore slowly without the battle royale setup. Though Fortnite’s vibrant pop-culture collabs are always best approached as playgrounds and not digital museums, I’d like an exception to be made here, especially for new or lapsed players drawn in by the update. If that’s you, here are a few things you can do to survive long enough to enjoy it: play the less frantic “zero build” mode, turn on “visualise sound effects” in the settings menu to show player positions on-screen, and remember, there’s no shame in landing in the quieter spots of the map and letting others pick each other off first. Some of the best references are off the beaten path, after all.
The Simpsons collaboration is a month-long pause between fuller seasons, and ends on 29 November. It’ll be a shame to see such a brilliant tribute disappear, and though old maps have returned before – the very first Fortnite chapter did in 2023, breaking concurrent player records – most disappear for good. But if one series has staying power, it’s The Simpsons. Here’s hoping for a movie-style comeback.
