Epic Games Disables Glitched Gargoyle King Skin in Fortnite
Epic Games has temporarily disabled the new Gargoyle King Halloween skin in Fortnite Chapter 7 after players discovered a major visibility exploit.
A Spooky Release Gone Wrong
Epic Games has pulled the plug on its brand-new “Gargoyle King” cosmetic outfit just hours after it debuted in Fortnite Chapter 7. The highly anticipated Halloween skin, featuring a reactive stone texture that glows as players rack up eliminations, was rushed out of matchmaking rotation. The reason? A game-breaking glitch that offered a massive competitive advantage.
The issue came to light almost immediately after the latest Item Shop reset. Players who purchased the outfit noticed that when the skin’s reactive properties triggered in darker areas of the map, the model’s texture would fail to load properly. Instead of a bright, glowing ember effect, the character became a solid, matte-black silhouette. In the shadowy ruins and dimly lit corners of the new Chapter 7 map, players wearing the skin were almost entirely invisible.
The Pay-to-Win Nightmare
The exploit quickly went viral on social media. Clip after clip showed competitive players using the skin to hide in plain sight during high-stakes ranked matches. Some content creators demonstrated that the glitched texture also seemed to disrupt aim assist for controller players at medium ranges, making the Gargoyle King an absolute nightmare to fight against.
“It was literally impossible to see them,” said competitive Fortnite player Marcus “Slayer” Vance. “If you were fighting in the new Citadel POI at night, they could just stand still against a stone wall and you’d walk right past them. It wasn’t just a visual bug; it felt like a cheat code.”
The Chapter 7 environment, which heavily features Gothic architecture, deep pine forests, and dark, mist-covered valleys, made the exploit even more potent. It was a perfect storm of environmental design and broken rendering.
Epic Games Steps In
Epic Games was quick to react. They took to social media to announce they were pulling the skin from active play. The official update confirmed several immediate measures:
- The Gargoyle King outfit is temporarily disabled in all matchmaking playlists.
- While disabled, players who have the skin equipped will appear as a default skin in matches.
- A permanent visual fix is currently in development.
The developer assured players that their purchases are safe and that the skin will return to their lockers as soon as the texture issues are resolved.
What Happens Next?
This isn’t the first time Epic has stumbled into pay-to-win territory with its cosmetics. Longtime players will remember the infamous all-black Superhero skins, which allowed players to hide in dark corners. That issue eventually forced Epic to restrict certain color combinations. Similarly, the Toy Soldier skins had to be brightened after players complained they blended too well into the grassy terrain.
While Epic works on a patch, players who spent their V-Bucks on the spooky cosmetic are left waiting. The bundle, which cost 1,800 V-Bucks, also included a unique harvesting tool and wrap, both of which remain usable in-game. Epic has not yet given a concrete timeline for when the Gargoyle King will return to players’ lockers, but community managers hinted that a fix is being tested for the upcoming hotfix. For now, the competitive integrity of Chapter 7 remains safe from the stone monster.
