Fortnite's Obsession Skin Sparks Backlash Over Respect for Character

Epic Games added Nikki from the horror film Obsession as a purchasable Fortnite skin, but some players say turning a possessed victim into a fun emote-wielding outfit disrespects her story.

Epic Games just dropped a new Fortnite skin featuring Nikki, the lead from this year's surprise horror hit Obsession — and not everyone is thrilled about it.

The reveal came on October 20 via a special video with actress Inde Navarrette, who plays Nikki in the film. In Obsession, Nikki's body gets taken over by a malicious entity, leaving the real her trapped inside her own mind, forced to watch as the thing wearing her skin does terrible things. That's the part that's got some players feeling uneasy.

According to IGN, the criticism centers on whether it's appropriate to turn a character like that into a purchasable skin complete with emotes. One social media user called it out for treating a victim character like a fun toy, while another said turning Nikki into a meme glosses over the horrifying ordeal she goes through in the movie.

But the community isn't unified on this. Plenty of players argue Nikki is just a fictional character, and putting her in a game doesn't mean anyone's disrespecting her story. Some even pushed back against reducing her to simply "the victim."

This isn't the first time Nikki has stirred up this kind of debate, either. IGN notes she previously appeared as an NPC at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights event, which sparked similar ethical questions among horror fans. Interestingly, Inde Navarrette herself doesn't seem bothered — she even posed for a photo with the character's performer at the theme park this October.

As of the report, Epic Games hasn't responded to the controversy. So where do you land on this one — is a horror victim fair game for a Fortnite skin, or does it cross a line? Drop your take in the comments.