Fortnite Windwalker Echo release date and the story behind the skin
Epic adds an Unreal skin to the Fortnite family.
Fortnite got a new Item Shop arrival on September 7, 2021. Her name is Windwalker Echo. Below, we detail everything we know about the skin including her price, release date, attributes, lore, and more. Curious about where this Lumen in the Land of Nanite star came from? Then you’re in the right place.
When is the Fortnite Windwalker Echo skin release date?
The Windwalker Echo skin came to Fortnite on September 7, 2021. She’s only expected to be on sale through 8 p.m. Eastern on September 8, but it’s possible she’ll return to the shop at another time. For now, fans have a very short time window to add her to their collections.
What is the Fortnite Windwalker Echo price?
Windwalker Echo’s initial sale price is 800 V-Bucks, putting her in line with most standalone skin releases for the game. Prices may fluctuate if she goes on sale again, but this is what she costs for now.
Windwalker Echo costs 800 V-Bucks, which is in line with many Fortnite skin releases.
Is there any other way to unlock Windwalker Echo in Fortnite?
Nope. The only way to get her is to purchase her from the Item Shop for 800 V-Bucks. Unlike many other high-profile skins, this one doesn’t have a tournament that offers the opportunity to unlock the Outfit for free.
Is there a Fortnite Windwalker Echo trailer?
You can watch Windwalker Echo do battle with a massive monster in the clip below.
This piece of animation was created by Mold3D Studio as an animated content sample project. Anyone can download the assets via Unreal Engine and create this video called “Slay.”
Can I see Windwalker Echo Fortnite gameplay?
In this video from PIZO on YouTube, you can see several minutes of the Windwalker Echo skin in action, including her reactive ability. The tattoos on her arm glow each time players open a Chest.
Fortnite Windwalker Echo gameplay
Where is Windwalker Echo from?
Windwalker Echo first got attention from the Fortnite faithful on the afternoon of September 7 when the game’s official account tweeted a thinking emoji in response to a tweet from the Unreal Engine Twitter account that asked followers where the Land of Nanite hero may be seen next.
Those who don’t monitor the games industry closely, however, may not fully remember why the character is important or how she came to be. Windwalker Echo was first seen in a May 2020 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo called Lumen in the Land of Nanite. The demo, aligned with Summer Game Fest livestreams, offered players a first glimpse at PlayStation 5 gameplay before the console’s release that November, and it also showed off the most promising advancements available in Unreal Engine 5.
This Unreal Engine 5 tech demo shows the origins of Windwalker Echo.
From its namesake, Nanite refers to the updated graphics engine’s ability to import film-quality assets with little frustration. Lumen, on the other hand, is a name for a suite of tools designed to enhance Dynamic Global Illumination, which creates realistic in-game lighting through the use of an algorithm.
When gamers first saw the demo, many questioned if Lumen in the Land of Nanite might become a full game in the future, but Epic stated at the time that it has no plans to develop the project further. The fact that Windwalker has made her way to Fortnite might signal a shift in those plans, but there’s no way to know.
What does Windwalker Echo mean for Fortnite?
In all likelihood, Windwalker Echo could live on forever as another one of the many original skins made for Battle Royale, but there are broader implications about the Outfit that are worth considering. In mid-August, trusted Fortnite leaker HYPEX revealed Fortnite’s planned transition from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 had shifted from a potential Season 8 addition to a potential Season 9 addition instead.
Could the Windwalker Echo skin have big implications for the future of Fortnite?
Given the Windwalker’s ties to Unreal Engine 5, it’s possible the character’s release was meant to coincide with that transition, meaning the model would have to be ready prior to the launch of Season 8. Knowing that the Unreal Engine 5 transition had been delayed, it’s possible Epic opted to just release this skin as is because it was ready to go even if the related tech was not.
Another possibility is that Windwalker Echo might be an important character being foreshadowed heading into Season 8. After all, the same leak that correctly predicted Fortnite’s recent Ariana Grande concert and Suicide Squad crossovers also suggests the Season 7 live event will feature a queen-like character capable of controlling Kevin the Cube. It’s also hinted that this character could play a big role in Fortnite Chapter 3. Given that we’re just a few days away from the Operation: Sky Fire live event on September 12, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Windwalker Echo might serve a role in that multiplayer mission.
