South Park's latest season is over, and while we don't know when it'll return to the 2026 TV schedule, gamers can celebrate some new content in the meantime. Fortnite is collaborating with the Comedy Central series, and I was beside myself with joy to see it add a reference that I doubt most kids playing understand.
Eric, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Butters are all available to purchase in the Fortnite shop right now, and it's as thrilling for me as when The Simpsons were added to the game. While the option to have Towelie as a sidekick is exciting, I can't believe they added a reference from what I think is one of South Park's best episodes.
Fortnite Added An Emote Referencing South Park's First Episode
"Cartman Gets An Anal Probe" remains one of my favorite South Park episodes to go back to, so I was hyped when I learned there's an emote available for purchase that references the episode. As seen in the video below, those who buy the emote will see the probe emerge from "behind" their character, and make the character begin to dance and sing. Take a look:
Im a lifelong South Park fanThis collab is fantasticTHIS EMOTE IS AN INSANE PULL BTW pic.twitter.com/LpoOcfGSYYJanuary 9, 2026
I love how scared Cartman looks when it first pops out, and rightfully so. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that South Park is still irreverent in a video game that strives to accommodate all audiences. This is the same show that took shots at the President of the United States and his administration, so making a butt-related joke in Fortnite was par for the course.
I Love That Epic Games Put In A Reference Older Than Many Kids Playing Fortnite
South Park premiered in 1997, making it 28 years old. That's still younger than me, but it's older than several people I know who play Fortnite. That's not to say it's over their heads, especially in the age where the series is available with a Paramount+ subscription.
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Of course, I feel like even seeing "Cartman Gets An Anal Probe" can really break down the reference in its entirety. I remember the song "I Love to Sing-A" from an old Tex Avery cartoon with singing owls that used to air on Cartoon Network. Of course, that 1936 cartoon was also a reference far beyond my time, with the song originating from the feature film The Singing Kid.
When Fortnite first started collaborating with major IPs, I thought it was mostly a cash grab opportunity for Epic Games. As I continue to see new content, however, and how this game can house everything from a fart joke to a story from the Kill Bill universe, I see the vision. If someone ever makes a Fortnite movie, it may end up being the closest we'll ever get to a Who Framed Roger Rabbit? level of collaboration between major franchises. Of course, I don't know the specifics on whether Epic Games could retain the rights to all those characters for a movie, but I can cross my fingers really tight and hope that it happens.
South Park is on hiatus, but fans can play as the characters in Fortnite and catch up on old episodes over on Paramount+. There's a vast library to run through on the platform, and it may just take longer to get through that than to grind through the latest battle pass.
