One of the sneaky-clever things about Fortnite is that it leaves out standard character customization options. If you don't buy any of Fortnite's costumes you don't even get to choose your character's sex and will be randomly assigned one. In one match you're a short-haired lady, next you're a bearded dude and there's nothing you can do about it—except spend some V-bucks on cosmetics or a battle pass for the newest Fortnite season.
They're nice cosmetics. Fortnite's costumes are characters, some of them referencing pop culture and others just evocative looks. It's hard not to browse the store and think, "Yes, I would like to look like a goth ninja/Christmas elf/murderous pink bear/hamburger." The popularity of the best Fortnite costumes carries over into real life, where this game about dressing up (and shooting people, I suppose) has inspired cosplayers to make those outfits real.
When you love @FortniteGame 's emotes too much ..... (Cosplay by me) (this is my fav emote 😂😂) #fortnite #britebomber #littlejem #cosplay @EpicGames @Fortnite_BR pic.twitter.com/k5UNUMbYWFMay 7, 2018
The popcorn emote (it's a Deadpool reference) makes players chuck said food item at their faces while grinning inanely. Cosplayer LittleJem recreated it perfectly, even down to the vacant stare, while wearing a spot-on Brite Bomber costume.
For a while Rust Lords like cosplayer Deacon Marshall here were everywhere. The outfit was easy enough to earn they became common as muck. But, whether because of their infamy or because enough time has passed, Rust Lords are less common these days and less contemptible too. Which is nice, because with the red jacket and closed helmet Rust Lord's an obvious reference to Star Lord, which makes it a super appropriate outfit for both dancing and failing to defeat Thanos in.
Teknique is part of the graffiti-themed Aerosol Assassins set, which is why cosplayer Nicole Winters has the paint splotches and renegade roller model pickaxe. The Tilted Towers cap is also authentic.
Raptor's description says he's a "Royale Air Force Test Pilot" but to me he looks like Beach Head from G.I. Joe if he got his washing mixed up with Airtight's. Because Airtight is yellow? Anyway, here's one of the Council of the Broz as Raptor.
You don't see enough cosplayers going for the original Fortnite: Save the World looks, but here's Amiko as the Ninja Hero subclass Dim Mak complete with sword.
United Polygon Works is a cosplayer who goes all out on the technical side of things, and for his Dark Voyager (the tier 70 reward from season 3) he worked in LEDs that really do change color—he's got cell phone banks powering them stored in his backpack and apparently they can run for six hours or so.
Ramirez, the Soldier introduced at the start of Save the World's campaign, was reborn as one of the random default skins in Fortnite. This is cosplayer Sami Bess as Ramirez, and you can tell she's the Save the World incarnation of the character because she's got a pickaxe that looks like it's been upgraded to tier 3, which is a nice bit of attention to detail.
Raven is a legendary skin that was so popular when it was released in 2018 Epic's servers stopped being able to process purchases because so many people were throwing money at them. Everybody wants to let their inner goth out, and here's Corris Cosplay doing just that.
Survival Specialist is a name that somebody at Epic was paid money to come up with, and here is Laura Lux dressed as Survival Specialist. That jar of slurp juice has the off-putting coloration down pat, so well done there.