Fortnite to Debut 'The Office' Crossover as Epic Games Teases Arrival of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute

Epic Games has officially confirmed a crossover between its battle royale hit Fortnite and the beloved American sitcom The Office, following weeks of intense speculation within the gaming community. The announcement, delivered via a cryptic social media teaser on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, signals one of the most unexpected tonal shifts for the platform, which has recently hosted high-octane collaborations with South Park, Star Wars, and Bleach.

The teaser featured a simple image of garden beets accompanied by the caption 'Build. Beets. Battle Royale.' Fans of the NBC mockumentary immediately identified the post as a play on the iconic 'Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica' line delivered by the character Jim Halpert while impersonating his colleague, Dwight Schrute. According to IGN, the post confirms that the 'nostalgic TV duo' previously hinted at by industry leakers is indeed from the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch.

Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute Lead the Lineup

While Epic Games has not yet released full character renders, prominent dataminers and leakers have provided details on what players can expect from the v39.30 update. According to VICE, the collaboration will initially focus on a two-skin bundle featuring the show's central figures: Regional Manager Michael Scott and Assistant (to the) Regional Manager Dwight Schrute.

Reports suggest that Dwight may receive a 'Recyclops' variant style—a reference to his fictional environmental alter-ego—to better fit the game's combat aesthetic. Notably, the leaks indicate that fan-favourite characters Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly will not be included in the initial launch, though analysts suggest they could appear in a 'Wave 2' release if the current skins perform well commercially, as cited by AllKeyShop.

Themed Cosmetics and 'Parkour' Emotes

Beyond the character skins, the Fortnite community has already begun speculating on the accompanying 'cosmetics' that define these high-profile crossovers. Leaks from Esports Insider suggest that themed 'Back Bling' items could include a stapler encased in gelatine or a Dundie Award trophy.

One of the most anticipated additions is a 'Parkour!' emote, based on the show's sixth-season opener where characters clumsily attempt urban stunts in the office. There are also rumours of a 'That's What She Said' audio emote and a 'Threat Level Midnight' loading screen. Additionally, the teaser's focus on beets has led to speculation that the vegetable may become a temporary in-game consumable, providing players with a health or shield boost, according to Beebom.

Release Timing and Chapter 7 Strategy

The crossover is expected to go live following server downtime scheduled for Thursday, 22 January 2026. For UK players, the update will be available around 10:30am GMT, following a 90-minute maintenance period, as detailed by The Mirror.

This collaboration aligns with Epic Games' broader strategy for 2026, which has seen the developer lean heavily into 'lifestyle' and sitcom-based intellectual properties. Following the successful introduction of South Park earlier this month—which introduced a new five-player 'Quints' mode—the addition of The Office suggests a move toward capturing a wider demographic of adult players who grew up with the 2000s sitcom era.

As Chapter 7 progresses, Fortnite continues to maintain its status as a digital 'metaverse' where contrasting IP like The Office and Godzilla can coexist. Industry experts at Times of India note that while Michael Scott may seem out of place in a shooter, the game's focus on 'meme culture' and expressive emotes makes the Scranton manager a logical, if bizarre, choice for the platform's evolving roster.