Fortnite has removed the “Peaceful Hips” emote tied to John Cena’s Peacemaker character after players pointed out that the dance resembles Nazi symbolism, which is tied to the HBO Max series.
The move has sparked backlash over how the crossover was approved in the first place, especially given the character’s R-rated origins.
What Happened
Epic Games confirmed the removal in a post on X:
“We’re disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into our partner’s creative intentions in this collab emote. Assuming it’s not coming back, we’ll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks.”
We're disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into our partner's creative intentions in this collab emote. Assuming it's not coming back, we'll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks.
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) September 28, 2025
The emote was released as part of a larger Peacemaker bundle but was pulled within days after the controversy erupted. The post says that refunds will likely be distributed to players who purchased it once they find out the meaning behind the emote.
Note: Peacemaker Season 2 spoilers
The dance originated in Peacemaker Season 2, where a new twist ties the routine to Nazi imagery.
In the series, Peacemaker and others perform the dance as the series intro. Episode 6 reveals that the alternate universe in the series is called Earth-X, where Nazis won World War II. John Cena’s arm movements resemble a swastika or stylized Nazi symbol, turning what seemed like a quirky gag into something more sinister.
The 'Peacemaker' emote has been disabled in 'Fortnite'
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) September 28, 2025
"We're disabling the Peaceful Hips Emote in Fortnite as we inquire into this collab emote. Assuming it's not coming back, we'll issue refunds in the next few days. Sorry folks" pic.twitter.com/FBxl85rpFq
Why Was Peacemaker in Fortnite?
The controversy goes beyond the emote itself. Fans are questioning why Peacemaker was ever added to Fortnite. The show is packed with violence, sexual content, and heavy political themes, and James Gunn has admitted it’s not for kids. To add to the controversy, fans also questioned why Gunn chose Peacemaker as the sequel to Superman (Gunn’s words), a more family-friendly movie.
Adding a character from an R-rated series into a game with a massive underage player base was already questionable. That risk only grows when the show itself features overtly racist villains, like Peacemaker’s father, White Dragon — a white supremacist and neo-Nazi character.
While some might say Gunn avoided explaining the emote to keep from spoiling the show, the simple solution was not putting Cena’s Peacemaker in Fortnite at all. Instead, it comes off as poor taste—something Gunn has already been criticized for in the past, which cost him his job at Marvel.
Oversight Problems
The bigger issue is how something like this got past corporate review. Epic Games licenses content from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, music artists, and more. Each partnership usually involves careful vetting to avoid brand-safety problems.
But in this case, Epic says it is still “inquiring into creative intentions,” suggesting Warner Bros., DC Studios, and James Gunn never warned them about what the emote actually meant in Season 2. That lack of communication left Fortnite players unknowingly paying for what some now describe as “a Nazi dance.”
So far, neither Gunn, Warner Bros., nor DC Studios have commented publicly on the controversy.
As of now, James Gunn hasn’t addressed the controversy, nor have DC Studios or Warner Bros. Discovery.
