Why driving the Back to the Future car in Fortnite Winterfest was my 2025 gaming highlight

For almost 30 years, I’ve loved the Back to the Future trilogy. I wore the VHS tape out after getting the second movie recorded from a terrestrial channel. My 8-year-old mind was blown.

But, since then, there hasn’t been a game that has accurately recaptured the feeling of driving the DeLorean vehicle. I’ve had to resort to a Grand Theft Auto mod in the past, which was fantastic, but Fortnite Winterfest 2025 has offered something completely different. Not only are Marty McFly and Doc Brown available as skins, but the car can be driven, making it a 2025 gaming highlight for me.

“It’s the Battlebus, Marty!”

Marty McFly debuted as part of Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1 on December 1, 2025, as an unlockable skin for those signed up to the Battle Pass. I wondered if the car would eventually appear, as this season has been leaning heavily on old-school Hollywood themes. The Bride from Kill Bill was another one of its showcase features.

So imagine my joy when I started seeing the car on the TikTok social media app. At first, I wondered if it was an AI-generated fake, but signing in to the game later that day, I managed to find the car at one of the gas stations. 

The car already felt fast compared to other vehicles in Fortnite, so once I hit the boost button and hit 90, an impressive cut-scene emerged where I ‘time-travelled’ within the Fortnite map. With the iconic music, you come back with a rare chest full of items, but, unfortunately, you don’t get to time-travel again.

But that’s not all. In the Fortnite Item Shop, you can buy the DeLorean as a decal for any vehicle you use, as well as the time travel graphical effects for 2,500 VBucks. In addition, Doc Brown can be bought as a skin, as well as the ‘Power of Love’ track, by Huey Lewis and the News. Who needs Christmas presents when Fortnite has already come up with the goods?

Outatime in a storm circle

Considering Fortnite has also featured the Power Rangers and The Simpsons as collabs, two other franchises from my childhood, Epic Games’ battle-royale title has been on a roll for me in 2025. It’s made me enjoy the game again, especially how I could control the Megazord and explore Springfield.

It’s made me wonder if we could be seeing more changes inspired by Back to the Future in Fortnite soon. Hill Valley, the series’ main location, seems perfect as a section in the map, especially with the Clock Tower. Re-enacting the finale of the first film, complete with lightning effects and more of the soundtrack, now feels like a natural fit.

Then there are other locations from the trilogy. Between Hill Valley in 2015 with flying cars, or the wild west of 1885, there’s plenty that Fortnite can leverage. It may be unlikely, but considering we can time-travel in the DeLorean, it’s certainly not impossible to see some of these locations appear in some way.

For now, though, being able to drive the DeLorean permanently, regardless of this collection having no time-travel features, fulfills a childhood dream that the Back to the Future ‘Hill Valley’ mod lacked. There’s plenty to enjoy here, and it only adds to the fun of what Fortnite is capable of, thanks to these collabs.

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