Fortnite Halloween update: Latest patch brings hordes of 'Cube Monsters' to the map– but just don't call them zombies

Epic Games is calling the event 'Fortnitemares'

Epic Games says Fortnite's Halloween update is the stuff of 'Fortnitemares' (Epic Games)

The latest update for Fortnite: Battle Royale has come just in time for Halloween, introducing new weapons with which to defeat an onslaught of new monsters.

The Halloween event comes as part of the patch v6.20 for Fortnite Season 6, which represents one of the biggest patches ever introduced to the game.

Fortnite developer Epic Games dubbed the Halloween event "Fortnitemares" and plans to introduce a new set of challenges every few days as part of the patch.

"Fortnitemares 2018 is here, featuring all manner of haunting happenings across Fortnite," Epic Games wrote in a blog post introducing the Halloween event.

"Skulk in the shadows to scare your way to a Victory Royale or brave hair-raising husks to complete the weekly new missions. Darkness has risen."

The name of the creatures has proved controversial, with media outlets and high-profile Fortnite players referring to them as "zombies."

US musician Chance The Rapper tweeted on Wednesday, "Yooooo wtf a zombie just kilt me," while popular video game streamer Ali-A tweeted: "Hello Zombies."

But Epic Games claims they should be referred to as "Cube Monsters," telling The Verge that zombies don't actually exist within the Fortnite universe.

"Across Fortnite, we don't refer to any enemies as 'zombies'," a spokesperson for Epic Games told the publication.

"In Save the World, you have 'Husks' and 'monsters' of various names and types."

Other updates in the latest Fortnite patch include a new Deadfire Outfit, a "Six Shooter" gun and a return of the crossbow weapon with the Fiend Hunter Crossbow.