Horde Rush mode has returned once again to Fortnite, thanks to the Fortnitemares update earlier in October. This is the first appearance of the fast-paced game mode since October 2025, when it was rebranded as “Demon Rush” and bore identical themes stemming from the game’s collab with K-Pop Demon Hunters. The current Horde Rush rendition is expected to only be available in the game till the end of Fortnitemares 2026, which is October 31, 2026.
If you are into the idea of facing increasingly dangerous waves of CPU-controlled enemies while collecting weapon upgrades and racking up score multipliers, Horde Rush should be the ideal mode. It is a high-adrenaline Fortnite map with an emphasis on all-out action and on accumulating the highest score possible. Below, you can learn more about it, from what the mode consists of to which currently available quests are associated with it.
What is the objective in Fortnite Horde Rush?
Your initial goal in the Horde Rush mode is to survive through the hordes of monsters, while simultaneously staying clear of the Storm. To help you with this, you have access to a range of weapons, which can be purchased from Vending Machines and upgraded at Upgrade Benches using Monster Parts.
On top of these weapons, there are boosts called “Perks” that you can equip, allowing you to keep up with the increasing intensity of successive enemy waves. Alternatively, you may also choose to put yourself at a disadvantage instead, in exchange for more generous rewards, by using the Cursed Statue, which amps up the match’s difficulty.
After you successfully clear some rounds in a match, you will enter a boss fight with The Final Peel. Once you beat this too, Fortnite Horde Rush essentially becomes an endless mode, where there is no longer a set objective. In other words, you can keep eliminating enemies and increasing your score for as long as you can, in order to get the best high score on the leaderboard or beat your own past record.
How to play Horde Rush in Fortnite
Accessing Horde Rush in Fortnite is a nearly instant task; from the “Play” tab, you just have to scroll sideways to find and select the desired mode. However, in case you can’t find it for some reason, there is another way to do it, as shown in the steps below.
- In the Play tab (Fortnite home menu), scroll down to the Discover section.
- Then, choose Horde Rush from the game modes categorized under “Featured By Epic”.
- Next, click on “Select“.
- At last, hit the Play button to start loading Horde Rush in Fortnite.
It’s also worth noting that, on the Horde Rush screen and right above the Play button, there is a “Fill” button that lets you pick your preferences for this game mode. Importantly, it pulls up a side-bar menu that has two settings: Privacy and Team Fill.
The former setting lets you determine if you want to play exclusively with your friends who are already waiting in the match lobby or freely connect with other Fortnite players for this mode. On the other hand, the latter setting lets you choose if you want to go solo or automatically connect with players to fill up vacant spots in the squad.
Fortnite Horde Rush quest rewards
Initially, there will only be three quests that will be showing up in the Quests tab for this game mode. However, as you tick these off, you will unlock more sets of Horde Rush quests, which are divided as “Nitemare One,” “Nitemare Two,” and so on. Some of these quest groups are scheduled for roll-out after certain time intervals, so more should become available as the season progresses.
| Quest | Reward |
|---|---|
| Choose Perks 15 times across matches | 15,000 XP |
| Purchase 1 starter kit from a vending machine | 15,000 XP |
| Collect 500 Cubes and Monster Parts | 15,000 XP |
| Carve 5 pumpkins at Nightmare Neighborhood or Wonkeeland locations* | 15,000 XP |
| Deal 200 damage to opponents using Freddy’s Nightmare* | 15,000 XP |
| Eliminate 3 opponents using an SMG or a pistol* | 15,000 XP |
*Quests in Nitemare Two (unlocked after completing quests in Nitemare One)
Wrapping up
The re-introduction of Horde Mode in its current form certainly brings a new layer of gameplay variety to Fortnite. Together with other official modes, such as Fortnite Battle Royale and Fortnite Reload, it offers players one more way to experience the highly popular online shooter with new rules and new objectives in place.
For regular players of the game, Fortnite Horde Rush—through its quests—is very useful to meet quest completion milestones. This can reasonably add to a player’s progress towards unlocking the free Jack-A-Nape skin, which requires 26 Fortnitemares quests to be completed before the event ends.
