Fortnite’s Fortnitemares quest tab includes a set of Reload challenges that only count on Nitemare Island, Reload’s Halloween map. Right now the Reload playlist isn’t serving that map at all. Players chasing the free Jack-A-Nape outfit keep queuing into Reload and finding the same squid-themed island, which leaves several quests stuck at zero.
Quick answer: No setting, glitch, or island code forces Nitemare Island. Squid Grounds Weekend currently occupies Reload, and Nitemare Island rotates back into Fortnite Reload on October 20.
Squid Grounds Weekend holds the Fortnite Reload playlist
Open game mode select and the Reload tile reads “RELOAD: SQUID GROUNDS” with a “SQUID GROUNDS WEEKEND” label. That is currently the only active Reload map. Choosing Build or Zero Build, or Solo, Duos or Squads, changes nothing, because every Reload queue lands on Squid Grounds for the weekend.
Nitemare Island is not removed for good. It is a Halloween-themed Reload map that first launched in October 2025 and came back for Fortnitemares 2026 with a refreshed layout and Siphon-heavy loot. It is simply out of the rotation for this weekend. Its return is scheduled for October 20, and until then no workaround puts you on it in the Reload playlist.
Fortnitemares Reload quests locked to Nitemare Island
The blocked challenges sit under the “Reload: Nitemare One” group. Each one names Nitemare Island directly, so progress made on Squid Grounds doesn’t count toward any of them.
| Quest | Locations | Target | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage players | Retail Ruin or Estranged Estate | 500 damage | 15K XP |
| Land at Named Locations | Any named location | 10 landings | 15K XP |
| Search containers | Terror Turrets or Haunted Hamlet | 25 containers | 15K XP |
Later Reload groups depend on this first one. “Reload: Nitemare Two” asks you to complete Reload quests before it opens more, and “Reload: Nitemare Three” unlocks on a timer. In practice, the stalled Nitemare One quests also hold up the Reload quests that follow.
The landing quest counts landings at any named location on the island. Nitemare Island has 10 of them:
- Terror Turrets, Haunted Hamlet, Retail Ruin, Estranged Estate
- Spooky Suburbs, Punishment Patch, Creepy Cabins
- Gravey Gates, Revenge Reels, Leech Lake
Battle Royale quests in the same tab are unaffected. “Battle Royale: Nitemare Three,” for example, only asks you to visit the Dark Cartridge, Cluster Coast, and Golden Grove on the main map.
Jack-A-Nape outfit requirements and the November 1 deadline
The Fortnitemares reward track pays out at 12, 16, 20 and 26 completed quests. Its free rewards are the Wind-Up Key back bling, the Tambourine Surprise emote and the Jack-A-Nape outfit. Jack-A-Nape sits at the final tier, so you need 26 completed Fortnitemares quests to get it.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Reward tiers | 12, 16, 20, 26 quests |
| Jack-A-Nape (outfit) | 26 quests |
| Other free rewards | Wind-Up Key, Tambourine Surprise |
| Quests end | Nov 1, 2026, 7:00 PM |
Because Nitemare Island returns on October 20 and the quests close on November 1, the Reload challenges have roughly a 12-day window once the map is back. Players who stopped partway, for example at 9 of 12, will need the Reload set to reach the later tiers.
Confirming Nitemare Island is back in Reload
Check the Reload tile in game mode select first. While it reads “RELOAD: SQUID GROUNDS,” the island isn’t in the playlist. Once it is, the drop map shows Nitemare Island’s named locations, such as Terror Turrets, Retail Ruin and Haunted Hamlet. During a match, the counters on the Nitemare One quests move up, for example from 0/500 damage. That is the clearest sign the quests are tracking.
Reload rotates maps instead of keeping one island live permanently. Even after October 20, a given queue might not land on Nitemare Island, so check the map before you drop. Each quest you finish there raises the overall Fortnitemares count toward the 26 needed for Jack-A-Nape, and the menu shows the new total after the match.
