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'Fortnite' adds lightsabers following Star Wars event

And you thought the mechs were overpowered.

If you wanted to attend Fortnite's Star Wars event but missed out, you're probably experiencing a twinge of regret right now. The event included an expected Rise of Skywalker clip and a virtual appearance by director J.J. Abrams, but it also gave people lightsabers (and blasters) -- and yes, they're available outside the event. Suddenly, the notorious mechs from earlier in the year seem a bit weak by comparison. It's not certain how long they'll last, but you'll have to track down special Star Wars crates to arm yourself like a Jedi or Sith.

You'll also find Star Wars-based challenges and new unlockables like a Jedi training emote. Epic is also handing out the TIE Whisper glider to everyone, not just attendees, after high demand led to trouble getting into the game.

The high profile combined with interest suggests that in-game Fortnite events like this will persist for a while. It's not surprising as to why. The game's gigantic player base makes it an easy choice for advertisers who want to court a large audience of young people, and this could keep people coming back well after they've obtained the usual seasonal goodies. It's just a question of whether or not Epic can both sustain interest in the core game and preserve some of the novelty of community-wide events.