On April 27, 2023, Epic Games showcased the first glimpses of the upcoming Fortnite x Star Wars collaboration. This was done by teasing the upcoming Anakin Skywalker Outfit that will be added to the game after the update v24.30 goes live on May 2, 2023. While this in itself is reason enough to celebrate, there seems to be more than meets the eye.
On the surface, this collaboration appears to be just another crossover for Star Wars, but information obtained from the files says otherwise. According to the leaker/data miner GMatrixGames, the Rift Gate that was destroyed towards the end of Chapter 4 Season 1 had some connection to the upcoming collaboration.
The Rift Gate in Fortnite may be rebuilt for the upcoming Star Wars collaboration
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While it cannot be explicitly stated that the Rift Gate will be rebuilt for the Fortnite update v24.30, according to theorist FNChiefAko, it's a possibility. Given that Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the upcoming CirrusVine (presumably Kal Kestis) Outfit were linked to the files pertaining to the Rift Gate, it's far from a mere coincidence.
By the looks of things, it seems that Epic Games planned to use the Rift Gate to introduce these characters as NPCs on the island. However, given that the developers change plans on the fly to better suit the storyline, this may have been scrapped or implemented differently than originally planned.
That said, it may still be possible for Anakin Skywalker to appear in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 2 through another rift. Perhaps one that is not associated with the Rift Gate that currently lies in ruins. Of course, this is yet again a theory based on speculation.
The flipside of this theory suggests that all three characters had already arrived on the island before the Rift Gate was destroyed. This makes sense as Obi-Wan Kenobi was present on the island during Chapter 3 itself. Since the Rift Gate didn't exist back then, this implies that there are ways to reach the island.
It may seem unusual, but it's important to remember that not all events that occur on the island are showcased cinematically. Some of the action takes place behind the scenes and is later incorporated in the game. All said and done, the Fortnite update v24.30 is going to be massive and will usher in a full-blown Star Wars experience in-game. It looks like the May 4 celebrations this year are going to be the best one yet.
Will the Rift Gate ever be rebuilt in Fortnite Chapter 4?
It's hard to say for certain, but with Rift Warden Stellan and The Ageless out of the picture, no one else seems to be interested in the now destroyed Rift Gate. Once Mega City was added to the island, the entire storyline shifted away from the rift that opened up above the sky and pivoted its focus towards the Peace Syndicate.
Maybe certain events in the future will prompt the reconstruction of the Rift Gate, but for now, there's nothing to suggest that it will ever be used again. Furthermore, given that rifts can be opened by external forces as well, perhaps there's no need to repair the one that's currently on the island.