Fortnite’s goofy Godzilla skin is surprisingly faithful to the OG films

Fortnite Chapter 6 has arrived with a look at the Godzilla crossover that’s coming soon, and the OG Kaiju is getting some criticism from the community for lacking the intimidation factor he’s got in some of the more recent movies.

Godzilla‘s definitely become much more serious with the advent of CGI. Being able to accurately depict the size and scale of a creature like him has made this Kaiju a lot spookier over the years.

What’s more, the original Godzilla from the 1954 film was terrifying at the time, and it still holds up pretty well today due to movie magic. Impressive lighting and well-constructed sets concealed what this monster really was: A man walking slowly in a big, clunky suit.

And while Fortnite’s Chapter 6 skin may not have the same stature as the Godzilla we know and love today, he’s carrying the torch of every cheesy, low-budget Godzilla movie that came out between the late 1950s and the early 2000s.

Fortnite’s Godzilla skin is more movie-accurate than you’d think

If you’ve only heard of Godzilla in passing and seen the modern films, you’d be excused for not knowing about his origins.

Believe me when I tell you that, for most of his time on the silver screen, this monster was primarily represented as a man in a big, plastic-y suit running around destroying miniatures. And when things got really heated, it was two dudes in goofy suits instead of just one.

At some point, the filmmakers behind these Godzilla films went all-in on creating the dumbest monster fights they could conceive.

How does this even work?

It was an earnest time in filmmaking, one where people did their absolute best with practical effects and miniatures. It’s simultaneously outdated and charming by today’s standards.

Some films were trying to be goofy, others were vying to capture the fear and terror of the original Godzilla. Depending on who you ask, they’ve either aged like fine wine or milk.

It’s not like this was just a phase for this monster, either. Godzilla existed this way for most of his lifetime as a movie villain. Or hero depending on which film you’re watching. When Godzilla became a household name, people would do anything they could to make new movies for cheap to try and make a quick buck.

There are a lot of films starring the King of Monsters. Like, a lot.

This doesn’t include Godzilla’s entire filmography, but it paints a good picture. Before the reboot in 2014, he spent decades as the premiere cheesy movie monster. Just that name would pull people into theatres, or, more accurately, their local Blockbuster or Hollywood Video to rent a straight-to-VHS/DVD release.

Now, if we compare it to the Fortnite skin, you’ll see he does indeed look like a person wearing a lizard suit.

Toho/Fortnite

Is this likely a result of trying to maintain some modicum of competitive integrity for the BR and making his hitbox easily readable? Perhaps. Or maybe he’s been hitting the gym lately? Looking good, Gojira!

If we’re being honest, this side-by-side is a bit of a glow-up for everyone’s favorite monster in comparison to the costumes of old. Either way, making the King of Monsters a goofy guy certainly harkens back to the glory days of Kaiju films.

Did Godzilla dunk on John Wick while wearing Air Jordans in the original films? Unfortunately, no. But his spirit is alive and well in Fortnite in a way I, and probably many other fans of OG Godzilla, didn’t expect.