Discover the untold story of Fortnite’s scrapped Stranger Things collab and learn how to identify future unreleased content
The Rarity That Started It All
Before diving into the lost POI, it’s essential to understand the context of Fortnite’s Stranger Things collaboration. The initial release featured Demogorgon and Chief Hopper skins that quickly became legendary for their scarcity.
When these cosmetics debuted in Chapter 1 Season 9 (2019), they vanished from the Item Shop for an astonishing four-year period. This extended absence created a collector’s frenzy, with players constantly monitoring shop rotations for their return.
The 2023 resurgence brought not only the original skins back but introduced Eleven with three distinct variants and additional cosmetic items. This pattern of expanding collaborations after initial releases provides insight into Epic Games’ long-term partnership strategies.
The Unpublished Concept Emerges
Just when players thought they’d seen all Stranger Things content, a fascinating discovery surfaced on ArtStation. Pat Jones, former Senior Environment Artist at Epic Games, shared concept imagery of what could have been.
The unreleased Hawkins National Laboratory POI featured meticulous architectural details faithful to the Netflix series. Multiple floors, laboratory equipment, and thematic environmental storytelling elements were visible in the renders.
Industry leaker ShiinaBR confirmed the authenticity, stating: “We almost got a Fortnite X Stranger Things POI back in Chapter 1, but Epic Games never released it… This is an official image of a Hawkins National Laboratory POI which was never published before!”
The accompanying tweet included visual evidence from @NotPaloleaks & @blortzen, originally published by Pat Jones on ArtStation! pic.twitter.com/9OnNmC6HlE
Analyzing the concept art reveals several practical insights for content creators: Epic often develops far more content than gets released, and understanding this pipeline can help predict future collaborations.
Community Reaction and Speculation
The revelation sparked immediate discussion across Fortnite communities. While the exact cancellation reasons remain undisclosed, players quickly formed theories based on the available evidence.
One prevalent question centered on map placement: “That’s really cool, sad it never made it. I wonder where this would’ve been put on the map in Chapter 1 Season 9. I can’t really think of any grassy area around at that time that would house it. Maybe it would replace Salty Springs?”
Other reactions ranged from enthusiastic disappointment—”WHATT THIS IS SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY OMG”—to analytical observations suggesting the design might have been intended for Save the World mode rather than Battle Royale.
The “exclusive props” mentioned by community members refer to environmental assets typically used in Save the World’s mission structures. This distinction matters because POIs designed for different game modes follow separate development pipelines and balancing considerations.
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Future Collab Opportunities
Understanding scrapped content provides valuable lessons for predicting future collaborations. Epic Games frequently develops multiple concepts before selecting final releases, and abandoned ideas sometimes resurface years later.
Three key indicators suggest potential Stranger Things content could still arrive:
1. The Netflix series continues with new seasons, maintaining cultural relevance
2. Epic has demonstrated willingness to revisit collaborations after multi-year gaps
3. Unused assets represent sunk development costs the company might leverage
For players hoping to see Hawkins Laboratory or similar content, monitoring ArtStation portfolios of Epic artists and following reliable leakers provides the earliest indicators. Remember that not all developed content releases immediately—some concepts wait years for the right seasonal event or partnership renewal.
Collabs returning to Fortnite or even getting expanded content isn’t just possible—it’s becoming standard practice. Only time will reveal if more Stranger Things elements will emerge from the Upside Down of Epic’s development servers.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Ex-Fortnite dev reveals canceled Stranger Things POI modeled on Netflix show’s laboratory Discover the untold story of Fortnite's scrapped Stranger Things collab and learn how to identify future unreleased content