Top Fortnite Emotes and Dances Found in High-End Accounts
In the vibrant universe of Fortnite, your locker isn’t just defined by skins and pickaxes; emotes and dances have become cultural phenomena in their own right. These animated expressions have transcended the digital battleground, appearing everywhere, from sporting events to social media challenges.
For collectors and enthusiasts, certain emotes represent more than just in-game animations; they’re status symbols that define high-value accounts. This blog explores the most coveted emotes and dances that separate standard accounts from truly premium collections.
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The Cultural Impact of Fortnite Emotes
Before diving into specific emotes, it’s worth appreciating how these digital dances have reshaped pop culture. What began as simple victory celebrations has evolved into a complex ecosystem of references, original choreography, and licensed moves that players use to express themselves on the battlefield.
Epic Games brilliantly tapped into dance culture, creating both original moves and adapting popular real-world dances. A collection of emotes that became so recognizable that children and adults alike perform them in everyday settings. This cultural penetration has made certain emotes particularly valuable, especially those that can no longer be obtained.
Rarity Categories, Understand What Makes Emotes Valuable
Not all emotes hold equal status in the Fortnite marketplace. Several factors determine their desirability:
1. Event Exclusivity
Some of the most valuable emotes were released during one-time events or limited windows that will never return. These represent moments in Fortnite history that simply cannot be replicated.
2. Battle Pass Origins
Battle Pass emotes, unlike their Item Shop counterparts, have never returned once their season concludes. This creates genuine scarcity that increases with time.
3. Early Season Releases
Emotes from Chapter 1’s earliest seasons are particularly coveted due to the smaller player base at that time. Fewer players means fewer instances of these emotes in circulation.
4. Licensing Complications
Some emotes based on popular dances or music have faced licensing issues, resulting in their removal or modification, making original versions increasingly rare.
The Crown Jewels: Most Valuable Emotes in Fortnite
Now, let’s explore the specific emotes that collectors actively seek when evaluating premium accounts:
The OG Collection
Floss
Perhaps the most iconic Fortnite emote ever created, Floss was available exclusively through the Season 2 Battle Pass. This side-to-side arm-swinging dance popularized by the Backpack Kid became synonymous with Fortnite itself. Its absence from the Item Shop has preserved its status as the single most valuable emote in the game.
What makes it special: Beyond its cultural impact, the Floss represents an era when Fortnite was just beginning its meteoric rise. Accounts featuring this emote definitively establish their Chapter 1, Season 2 origins, a significant marker of account longevity.
The Worm
Another Season 2 Battle Pass exclusive, The Worm, features the character performing the classic breakdancing move on the ground. Its animation quality and humor have stood the test of time, making it a frequent showcase emote among veteran players.
What makes it special: The Worm was positioned at Tier 28 of the Season 2 Battle Pass, meaning players had to invest significant time to unlock it during an era when progression was more challenging than today.
Ride the Pony
Originally available in the Season 2 Free Pass, Ride the Pony later became exclusive to Save the World founders when Epic introduced the new Free Pass system. This lasso-twirling, horseback-mimicking dance is instantly recognizable among the Fortnite community.
What makes it special: Its unique acquisition history and connection to Fortnite’s original PvE mode give it historical significance beyond typical Battle Pass emotes.
Rare Event Emotes
Boogie Down
The Boogie Down emote has a fascinating origin story that adds to its value. It was initially awarded to players who enabled two-factor authentication on their Epic Games accounts during a specific promotion. While not technically difficult to obtain at the time, many casual players missed this opportunity.
What makes it special: Its unique distribution method outside normal channels (Battle Pass or Item Shop) makes it particularly rare among average accounts.
The Rust Bucket Back Bling offers emotes
During server downtime in early 2018, Epic compensated players with the Rust Bucket back bling and made certain emotes available. Accounts with these specific emotes from this timeframe indicate active participation during Fortnite’s formative period.
What makes it special: These emotes represent a specific moment in Fortnite’s development history, tied to technical challenges the game faced during its rapid growth.
Battle Pass Exclusives That Define Premium Collections
Take The L
This taunting dance from the Season 3 Battle Pass has become legendary for its psychological impact on gameplay. The L-shaped hand gesture combined with the playful dance has been a victory staple since its introduction.
What makes it special: Take The L represents the perfect fusion of gameplay utility and collectible value. It’s often used after eliminations, making it one of the few emotes that directly impacts the emotional experience of gameplay.
Best Mates
Inspired by a popular internet meme, this running-in-place dance from Season 3 features smooth animation that has aged remarkably well. Its simplicity and rhythm make it a perennial favorite.
What makes it special: Its clean execution and recognizable source material have kept it relevant despite being one of the older emotes in the game.
Groove Jam
This Season 4 Battle Pass emote featuring the character dancing to an infectious beat has remained popular due to its smooth animation and catchy accompanying music. Its appeal transcends its age.
What makes it special: Unlike some emotes that feel dated, Groove Jam’s animation quality and music continue to feel contemporary, making it both rare and practical.
Orange Justice
With its distinctive arm-swinging and leg movements, Orange Justice from the Season 4 Battle Pass has an interesting origin story. It was inspired by a dance submission from the community that initially didn’t win Epic’s official contest but was so popular among players that Epic included it anyway.
What makes it special: Its community-driven origin story makes it particularly meaningful to long-time players who remember the #BoogieDown contest.
Limited-Time Item Shop Offerings
Fresh
This emote inspired by the Carlton dance from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was removed from the Item Shop due to legal concerns and hasn’t returned since. Accounts featuring this emote own a piece of Fortnite history that exists in legal limbo.
What makes it special: Its removal due to legal challenges makes it unlikely ever to return, creating scarcity beyond typical Item Shop rotations.
Rambunctious
Another emote removed for potential licensing issues, Rambunctious, was inspired by a dance from the TV show Seinfeld. Its absence from the shop since 2019 has elevated its status among collectors.
What makes it special: The combination of its recognizable source material and legal complications makes it especially valuable.
Tidy
This Snoop Dogg-inspired emote featuring the character moving side to side while making money-showering motions hasn’t appeared in the Item Shop since 2019, likely due to its celebrity connection.
What makes it special is its recognizable reference and lengthy absence from rotation, which places it among the most sought-after Item Shop emotes.
The Trophy Case, Emotes That Add Significant Value to Accounts
Beyond individual emotes, certain combinations particularly enhance account valuation:
The Complete Season 2-4 Emote Collection
Accounts featuring every emote from the first three Battle Passes (excluding Season 1, which had no Battle Pass) represent the holy grail for collectors. This collection guarantees authenticity as an OG account and typically commands the highest premiums.
The Lawsuit Collection
Owning all the emotes that faced legal challenges (Fresh, Rambunctious, Tidy, etc.) creates a sub-collection of its own, representing emotes that may never return due to intellectual property concerns.
Promotional Exclusives
Certain emotes were only available through specific promotions, including:
- Bhangra Boogie: Initially exclusive to OnePlus device purchases
- Boogie Down: Tied to two-factor authentication
- The Verve: Available during a limited-time challenge
Accounts containing these promotional exclusives demonstrate a history of engagement beyond regular gameplay.
The Future of Emote Valuation
As Fortnite continues to evolve, the value profile of rare emotes will likely change. Several factors will influence future valuation:
Traversal Innovations
The introduction of traversal emotes (those that allow movement while performing) has created a new category of desirability. Early traversal emotes may be appreciated as this feature becomes more common.
Music Licensing
Emotes featuring licensed music creates additional complications when returning to the Item Shop. Accounts with early music-based emotes may see increased value due to these licensing hurdles.
Collaborative Limited-Time Offers
Epic’s increasing collaborations with entertainment properties may create more truly limited emotes in the future, particularly if licensing agreements specify one-time-only availability.
Verification Tips
When evaluating an account for rare emotes, consider these verification methods:
- Request video of the emotes being performed in-game with the account name displayed
- Check the account creation date against the known release dates of specific emotes
- Look for logical progression in the locker (an account claiming to have Season 2 emotes should also have rewards from subsequent seasons)
- Verify through account-linked platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, or Epic Games directly when possible
Conclusion
In the ever-expanding universe of Fortnite, emotes have emerged as more than just animated expressions; they’ve become digital artifacts that chronicle the game’s evolution. The most valuable accounts feature collections that span Fortnite’s entire history, particularly focusing on those earliest seasons and limited-time offerings that can never be obtained again.