Fortnite Quietly Scraps TheBurntPeanut Sidekick From Season 3 Battle Pass After Backlash

The Fortnite community was in an uproar this week after the reveal of the Chapter 7 Season 3 "Runners" Battle Pass. The source of the controversy wasn't the new John Wick skin or the return of fan-favorite characters, but a tiny peanut-shaped Sidekick that bore an unmistakable resemblance to streamer TheBurntPeanut. Within days, the character appeared to vanish from key art and promotional updates, highlighting a fast-moving situation that, as of June 3, 2026, remains unresolved.

The Collaboration That Sparked Outrage

On May 31, Epic Games revealed the official key art for the Chapter 7 Season 3 Battle Pass. Players immediately noticed a small Sidekick cosmetic resembling TheBurntPeanut, a Twitch streamer with over two million followers . The discovery triggered an immediate backlash.

Fans circulated old clips that allegedly showed the streamer using a homophobic slur while playing Escape from Tarkov, as well as laughing at another player using a racial slur . Many critics noted that the collaboration's timing—the start of Pride Month—made the inclusion feel particularly tone-deaf .

Fortnite Senior Director "EpicTofu Chris" confirmed on social media that the character was indeed a direct collaboration with TheBurntPeanut. His post was immediately met with hundreds of negative replies calling for the content to be pulled . In the aftermath, reports surfaced that Chris planned to pause communication with the community after the harassment began affecting his personal life . Some community members, including prominent leaker Shiina, later argued that the personal attacks on developers who likely didn't make the final call were excessive .

The streamer himself was asked about the collaboration during a stream but refused to confirm or deny his involvement, neither addressing the allegations nor the partnership .

The Quiet Removal: What We Know and Don't Know

Between June 1 and June 3, multiple outlets reported that Epic Games had quietly updated the Season 3 promotional materials. The peanut-shaped Sidekick was no longer visible in the key art being shared publicly . A Chinese gaming report claimed a screenshot from an alleged startup screen showed the TheBurntPeanut character had been pulled .

However, the removal remains unconfirmed. As of June 3, 2026, Epic Games has issued no official statement. The season has not yet launched, so it is unclear whether the Sidekick has been scrapped entirely, moved to a different tier of the Battle Pass, or simply de-emphasized in marketing. Multiple outlets describe the situation as "fast-moving" and warn that nothing is final until the pass goes live .

This is not the first time Epic has quietly withdrawn content. The company has a history of silently removing features or trailers when they draw unwanted attention .

The Path to Season 3: Shattered and Launch Details

Regardless of the TheBurntPeanut controversy, the timeline for the end of Chapter 7 Season 2 and the launch of "Runners" is set.

Shattered Live Event

• Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
• Doors Open: 6:20 PM ET (with an interactive pre-show experience)
• Main Event: 7:00 PM ET
• Narrative: The event features a climactic final battle between the Ice King and The Foundation. The outcome is influenced by which faction players chose to align with earlier in the season .
• Free Rewards: Attendees who log in can earn two free cosmetic items: a Dark Voyager harvesting tool and a Dark Voyager sidekick .

After the event concludes, Fortnite servers will go offline for scheduled maintenance to deploy the new season's update .

Chapter 7 Season 3 "Runners" Launch

• Launch Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
• Expected Downtime End: Approximately 4:00 AM ET, based on previous seasonal launches
• Battle Pass Price: 800 V-Bucks (maintaining Epic's recent standard pricing model)
• Confirmed Skins: The Battle Pass includes eight characters, with highlights such as a new John Wick (with a dog sidekick), C3RB3RUS, Ninja Hope, and remixed versions of Doctor Slone and PJ
• Launch Week Bonuses: Players can unlock bonus items like the Gold Huntress Dylan skin and the Venomous Chainsaw pickaxe during the first week

The season will be available on all major platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile .