Top 10 Rarest Fortnite Emotes in 2026: The Ultimate List

In Fortnite, your locker is your trophy case. While players often obsess over skins like Renegade Raider or Aerial Assault Trooper, the true flex often comes from what happens after the Victory Royale. Emotes are the language of the lobby, and some of them have become incredibly scarce.

Whether due to legal disputes, limited-time collaborations, or being locked behind ancient Battle Passes, some dances have effectively vanished from the game. As we kick off 2026, we are looking at the definitive list of the rarest Fortnite emotes that separate the OGs from the newcomers.

The “Forbidden” Shop Emotes

These emotes were once available in the Item Shop but have not returned for years. In many cases, legal issues or licensing expiration are to blame, making their return highly unlikely.

1. Fresh

• Release Date: December 16, 2017
• Status: The Holy Grail of rare emotes. Inspired by the iconic “Carlton Dance” from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, this emote has been missing from the shop for over 2,500 days. Due to a high-profile lawsuit regarding the choreography, Epic Games quietly pulled it from rotation. If you own this, you are holding a piece of gaming history that may never be sold again.

2. Rambunctious

• Release Date: June 9, 2018
• Status: Legal Limbo. Much like Fresh, Rambunctious is tied to the Fresh Prince universe. It is fast, chaotic, and incredibly rare. It vanished shortly after its release and has become one of the most sought-after dances for collectors.

3. Tidy

• Release Date: April 30, 2018
• Status: Snoop Dogg’s signature. While Snoop Dogg has recently had major collaborations with Fortnite Festival, his original “Tidy” emote (based on Drop It Like It’s Hot) remains elusive. It briefly appeared in the shop by mistake in late 2022 for a few hours but was quickly removed, keeping its rarity status intact.

One-Time Wonders & Collabs

Some emotes were released for a specific event or partnership and simply never came back.

4. Zombie Shambles

• Release Date: November 6, 2020
• Status: One appearance only. This traversal emote allows players to walk like the undead. It appeared in the Item Shop exactly once during Chapter 2 Season 4. It has not been seen since, making it the rarest spooky emote in the game.

5. Head Banger

• Release Date: April 22, 2020
• Status: Travis Scott exclusive. Part of the “Astronomical” event, this emote allows players to thrash to a heavy beat. Due to the controversy surrounding the artist, all cosmetics related to Travis Scott have been blacklisted from the shop for years, leaving Head Banger stuck in the vault.

6. Hot Marat

• Release Date: November 24, 2018
• Status: A forgotten Disney promo. released to promote Ralph Breaks the Internet, this emote was free for a limited time. Despite Disney’s massive investment in Epic Games recently, this specific emote has remained absent for years, making it a strange anomaly in the locker.

7. Stuck

• Release Date: September 6, 2021
• Status: Copyright chaos. Featuring the song “Up” by Cardi B, this Icon Series emote had a lot of attitude. However, licensing music tracks can be tricky. It appeared in the shop only twice before vanishing, likely due to the music rights expiring.

The “Never Returning” Battle Pass Exclusives

While Item Shop emotes could theoretically return, Battle Pass emotes are locked to their specific seasons. If you missed them, they are gone forever.

8. Floss

• Source: Chapter 1 Season 2 Battle Pass The cultural phenomenon that defined 2018. The Floss is the ultimate symbol of an early Fortnite player. Since it was part of the Season 2 Battle Pass, it is impossible to obtain today.

9. Take The L

• Source: Chapter 1 Season 3 Battle Pass The ultimate toxicity tool. This emote is synonymous with “sweaty” players and old-school griefing. Its exclusivity to the Season 3 Battle Pass ensures that only long-time veterans can use it to mock their opponents.

10. Orange Justice

• Source: Chapter 1 Season 4 Battle Pass (Free Tier) “It’s also a great exercise move!” This was the community winner of the Boogiedown contest. Because it was on the Free tier, many people have it, but it is technically impossible to get now, securing its place on the rarity list.

Honorable Mentions

• Scenario: Unlockable only by purchasing the Samsung Galaxy S10. It is widely considered the best K-Pop emote in the game and is unobtainable today.
• Pull Up: Another Icon Series emote that fell victim to music licensing issues.
• Kiss the Cup: A Bugha-related emote that saw very limited shop time.

The rarity of these items adds a layer of prestige to your account. So, next time you are in the lobby and see someone pop the Fresh emote or Zombie Shambles, show some respect. You are looking at a true Fortnite survivor.