Fortnite Pulls ‘Peacemaker’ Dance Emote Over Nazi Symbol Concerns

Fortnite has disabled the “Peaceful Hips” emote (from the new Peacemaker bundle) after players pointed out that one of the dance moves resembles a swastika ^[1].
Epic Games announced an investigation and refunds. Fortnite’s official Twitter said it is looking into its partner’s “creative intentions” and will refund V-Bucks for anyone who bought the emote if it’s not reinstated ^[2].
Trigger: Peacemaker Season 2 reveal. The controversy followed Episode 6 of Peacemaker (DC/Max), which revealed that John Cena’s alternate world (Earth‑X) is a Nazi victory universe ^[3] ^[4]. After that episode aired, fans realized Cena’s opening-credits dance (and hence the in-game emote) briefly made a Nazi-like arm pose.
Mixed fan reaction. Many players were upset at losing a paid emote, with some calling the removal an overreaction and noting Fortnite hosts other edgy content ^[5]. Others praised Epic for avoiding any hint of Nazi imagery, saying even an accidental association could “create risks for the game’s reputation” ^[6].
Context – sensitivity to hate symbols. Epic has previously moved quickly on such issues (in 2018 it altered Fortnite art after an accidental swastika was found in floor tiles ^[7]). Likewise, other family-friendly platforms (e.g. Roblox) routinely purge Nazi-themed content, stressing they have “zero tolerance” for extremism ^[8]. Many countries (Germany only lifted its swastika ban in games in 2018) keep Nazi symbols tightly regulated, so publishers usually err on the side of caution.

Background: Fortnite’s Peacemaker Crossover

Fortnite frequently adds pop‑culture crossovers in its Item Shop. In mid-September 2025 it launched a DC Comics collaboration featuring Peacemaker (the James Gunn TV series starring John Cena). The bundle included a Peacemaker character skin, Eagly back-bling, a shield-themed pickaxe and wrap, plus two emotes ^[9]. One of those emotes – Peaceful Hips – recreated the silly hip-swaying dance from the show’s Season 2 opening credits ^[10] ^[11]. As the Fortnite wiki explains, Peaceful Hips “is based on the opening credits sequence for the second season of Peacemaker” ^[12], and it was available for purchase (400 V‑bucks) starting September 14, 2025 ^[13].

Initially, fans enjoyed the new content. The Peacemaker skin was well received (Cena’s character even quips “no matter the cost!”), and the “hip-swaying emote” was a catchy, humorous reference for those familiar with the show ^[14]. Of the two new emotes, the other one – a one-arm salute called “Peace Approved” – stayed in the game without issue. It was only the Peaceful Hips dance that later drew scrutiny.

Nazi Symbolism Controversy

Trouble began with Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 6 (“Ignorance Is Chris”), which aired September 27, 2025. In that episode, Peacemaker discovers that the idyllic world he’s visiting (called Earth‑X) is actually a hidden Nazi-ruled reality, where Hitler won World War II ^[15]. As ComicBookMovie reported, the finale “confirmed that it’s a world where the Nazis won World War II” ^[16]. Eagle-eyed viewers had actually been noticing hints of this twist in Cena’s opening-dance moves, especially since Season 1’s intro had its own cryptic imagery ^[17].

After Episode 6, those pieces fell into place. Players realized that in one part of the dance (Cena throws one arm up and the other down), the avatar’s arm positions form a shape that looks like a swastika. As The Game Post explains, “It’s not an exact shape, but the outline is close enough that fans started pointing it out” ^[18]. In other words, a dance move that was playful in context now had a very uncomfortable echo when seen against the Nazi-earth revelation. On social media, some fans even noted that the exact pose appears in the 1943 Donald Duck cartoon “Der Fuhrer’s Face” – a famous Oscar-winning anti-Nazi short ^[19] – suggesting the choreographer’s intent might have been satire. (Fortnite’s announcement made no reference to the Donald Duck connection, focusing only on investigating the “symbolism.”)

Epic Games’ Response and Refunds

On September 28, 2025, Fortnite’s official status account posted a brief statement:

“We’re disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote. Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks.” ^[20].

In other words, Epic Games immediately pulled the emote from the game while it looked into the matter. The tweet apologized and promised V‑bucks refunds to anyone who had purchased Peaceful Hips, saying “sorry folks” for the inconvenience ^[21]. Fortnite later confirmed the same in its News Tab, noting the emote was “disabled” after the episode’s reveal because “the choreography… resembled the Swastika, a symbol prominently used by the German Nazi Party during World War II” ^[22]. Epic gave no hint that this was an April Fool’s joke or a bug – it treated it as a serious issue of unintended symbolism.

Importantly, Epic clarified that only the one dance emote was affected. All other Peacemaker cosmetics remain unaffected in Fortnite’s shop rotation ^[23]. The Peacemaker skin, Eagly back-bling, shield pickaxe, wrap, and the other “Peace Approved” emote are still available – only Peaceful Hips is disabled ^[24] ^[25]. Epic’s wording – “assuming it’s not coming back” – left open the possibility that the emote could be reinstated if the issue is resolved. But as of now it is gone.

Community Reaction and Debate

The removal sparked an immediate debate among players and content creators. Some fans were angry or disappointed at losing a newly purchased emote. On one hand, critics called Epic’s move an overreaction. They argued that the swastika resemblance was coincidental and not obvious, and that Fortnite has much more controversial items (violent skins, language, etc.) that go unpulled. For example, TwistedVoxel noted that critics “argue the removal is an overreaction,” and some questioned why this collab emote was singled out when other edgy content remains ^[26]. A few players admitted even they didn’t initially see the swastika shape until it was pointed out. Twitter memes quickly circulated blaming Epic’s double standards or eager “cancel culture” over the move.

On the other hand, many praised Epic’s caution. Supporters pointed out that Fortnite’s player base includes many young children, and that even an accidental Nazi association could be damaging or upsetting. As one gaming blogger put it, “even if unintentional, allowing an emote that could be associated with hate symbols would create risks for the game’s reputation” ^[27]. Fortnite, having avoided such imagery in the past, was simply maintaining a strict policy. Parody accounts and news outlets emphasized that Fortnite was simply being responsible: better to refund a few V‑bucks than have “players running around flashing a swastika pose every 5 minutes” ^[28] (as one ComicBookMovie commenter colorfully put it).

Several online commentators also speculated on what happens next. Some suggested Epic might replace Peaceful Hips with an alternative – for example, a dance from Peacemaker Season 1’s intro (which had no Nazi imagery) – so players still get a fun emote without controversy. Others thought a safe solution was simply to leave it off the shop permanently, since refunds had been promised. As Pocket Tactics journalist Sam Comrie noted, the studio may now be talking with DC Studios and Warner Bros. to find a fix, but “whether that’s by restoring the emote or releasing a new one… who knows?” ^[29]. All that’s clear is Fortnite players won’t see Peaceful Hips again unless Epic changes course. For now, Epic’s promise stands – if it doesn’t return, anyone who bought it will be refunded ^[30] ^[31].

Industry Context: Censorship and Cultural Sensitivity

This incident is unusual in its timing and specifics, but it fits a broader industry pattern of avoiding hate symbols in games. Epic itself has a recent precedent: in 2018, players spotted that certain Fortnite floor tiles could be placed to form a swastika. Epic responded quickly, confirming it was “unintended” and saying it would “address ASAP” by altering the art ^[32]. In other words, Epic has long aimed to eliminate Nazi imagery, even accidental, from Fortnite.

Fortnite’s action also mirrors moves on other platforms geared toward kids. For example, Roblox (another hugely popular online game for children) regularly purges Nazi and extremist content. In one instance a few years back, Roblox publicly removed user-created Nazi death camps and emphatically stated it has “zero tolerance for content… that promote or glorify extremism” ^[33]. This reflects a similar philosophy: since these games are widely played by minors, the companies act fast to remove any Nazi or hate-related references.

Legally, many countries are strict about such symbols. (Germany only lifted a ban on swastikas in video games in 2018 under an “artistic context” clause ^[34].) But even where it’s allowed, most global publishers avoid it to prevent controversy. In short, Epic’s response is in line with both legal caution and customer expectations. A quick removal and apology is far easier than facing a public relations scandal or regulatory problem over the content.

Other examples of content removals:

2018 Fortnite: Epic altered art after an “accidental swastika” formed by metal floor tiles ^[35].
Roblox (2022): Removed a user-made Nazi concentration camp game, banning its creators and reaffirming “zero tolerance” for extremist content ^[36].
Game regulations: Even big-budget titles (e.g. Wolfenstein or Call of Duty historical games) often self-censor Nazi emblems in certain regions or require special versions. Many developers simply avoid any Nazi symbols unless context makes them absolutely necessary.

What’s Next for Fortnite and the Emote

As of now, Epic has not announced any final decision beyond the refunds promise. Fortnite’s statement left the door slightly open: “assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds” ^[37]. That phrasing suggests Epic could reinstate the emote if it finds a satisfactory explanation (for example, proving the resemblance was unintended). But the tone was cautious. Fortnite did not say “we’re removing it permanently”; it said “we’re investigating.” This implies the emote’s return is uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Fortnite community continues to discuss alternatives. Some fans hope Epic will add a new dance (perhaps Peacemaker’s S1 dance or another fun emote) as a replacement in the DC bundle. Others are simply disappointed and waiting for any official update. All players who bought the dance have been assured a refund if the emote stays disabled. In the public eye, Epic’s swift action has been framed as either protective caution or needless censorship – but one thing is clear: Fortnite’s “Peaceful Hips” dance will not be seen in battle royale for now.

Sources: Official Fortnite announcements and status updates ^[38] ^[39]; coverage by gaming news sites ^[40] ^[41] ^[42]; analysis from Fortnite wiki and journalists ^[43] ^[44] ^[45] ^[46].