Only players who already owned the original Empress Pet back bling were reported to qualify for the free Empress Sidekick grant. A March 19, 2026 report said Epic granted it automatically to eligible accounts, with no quest required. That was a historical grant, not an open promotion for all players. As of October 4, 2026, Epic’s listing says its 1,200-V-Buck shop offer ended September 28, 2026; the sources available do not establish a current free claim or a return date.
Who qualified for the reported free Empress Sidekick?
According to Beebom’s March 19, 2026 report, the free grant was for players whose account already owned the original Empress Pet back bling from Chapter 1 Season 8. It was not reported as a free offer for every Fortnite player.
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The report said the Sidekick would be added automatically and that eligible players did not need to complete a quest. Epic’s pages retrieved for this article do not independently confirm that historical grant, so treat the eligibility and automatic-grant details as reported at the time—not as an active claim process.
What eligible players were told to do
- Log into Fortnite using the account that owned the Empress Pet back bling. The historical report tied eligibility to prior ownership on the account.
- Check the Locker’s Sidekicks section. If Empress was not immediately visible, the report advised checking there. It described an automatic grant, not a quest-based unlock.
These steps describe the reported grant in March 2026. They do not establish that players can newly claim Empress now.
#1 Best Overall
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Can you get Empress for free now if you did not own the back bling?
No current free route is established by the available sources. The historical grant was limited to prior owners of the back bling. Epic’s Empress item listing shows a 1,200 V-Buck offer that ended September 28, 2026. As of October 4, 2026, that offer has expired, and the listing does not provide a future return date.
Epic says Empress includes quests that unlock new items. Those quests are rewards associated with the Sidekick; they are not a method for a non-owner to obtain Empress itself for free.
Rank #2
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What Epic’s listing says about Empress
- Type and set: Empress is a Sidekick in the Queen of Felines set.
- Price and availability: Epic lists the shop offer at 1,200 V-Bucks and says it ended September 28, 2026. Shop availability can change; the listing gives no confirmed return date.
- Behavior: Sidekicks react to the world but do not detect enemies or items.
- Appearance: Epic warns that appearance choices are locked in after purchase and are permanent. Check the in-game shop for the complete current representation and cosmetic options.
Epic’s item description for Empress is: “The sun never sets on her scratching post.”
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Rank #4
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Rank #3
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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