Honestly, if you were playing Fortnite back in early 2018, you didn't call him "The Reaper." Nobody did. He was just John Wick. You’d be rotating into Tilted Towers, see a guy in a sleek black suit building a five-story hotel in three seconds, and scream into your mic, "John Wick on me!" It was a universal language.
But here is the thing: that wasn't actually John Wick.
The og john wick skin is technically a legendary outfit called The Reaper, and it was the Tier 100 reward for the Chapter 1, Season 3 Battle Pass. It wasn't an official collaboration. It was basically Epic Games seeing how far they could push a "likeness" without getting a cease and desist from Lionsgate. It worked. It worked so well that when the actual licensed John Wick skin (the one that actually looks like Keanu Reeves) dropped in Season 9, half the community was confused.
The Reaper vs. John Wick: Spotting the Difference
If you look at them side-by-side today, the differences are kind of hilarious. The Reaper has that classic, slightly stylized "Fortnite" face from the early days—wider eyes, a bit of a tan, and hair that looks like it was molded from plastic. He’s the "We have John Wick at home" version.
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The official John Wick skin, which arrived in May 2019 to promote John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, is a dead ringer for Keanu. It’s got the facial scars, the gritty look, and a "Battle Damaged" variant where his suit is shredded.
Here is the breakdown of why the og john wick skin (The Reaper) is a totally different beast:
- Availability: The Reaper was a Battle Pass exclusive. If you didn't hit Tier 100 in Season 3, you are never getting it. Ever. The official John Wick is an Item Shop skin. It rotates in and out. In fact, it was just in the shop recently in late 2025 and early 2026.
- The Vibe: The Reaper represents a specific era of Fortnite sweatiness. Back in 2018, seeing a Reaper meant you were about to get "double pumped" into the lobby.
- The Set: The Reaper came with the "Trusty No. 2" pencil pickaxe—a direct nod to the movie's legendary pencil scene—and the High Octane glider, which looks suspiciously like a 1969 Mustang.
Is the OG John Wick Skin Actually Rare?
Rare is a weird word in Fortnite. Millions of people played Season 3. But most of those people have moved on. They’ve lost their accounts, or they’re playing Warzone, or they’re just... adults now.
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Seeing a Reaper in a 2026 lobby is a genuine rarity. It’s a signal that the person playing has been around for nearly a decade. Unlike the Item Shop Wick, you can't buy your way into the "Reaper" club. You had to be there. You had to do the challenges. You had to grind.
The official John Wick skin is "rare" in terms of how long it stays out of the shop, but it always comes back. The Reaper is a vault that is permanently welded shut.
Why the Confusion Still Happens
Newer players see the official Keanu Reeves skin and think that is the OG. It makes sense. It’s the one actually named John Wick. But the community "elders" will always correct you.
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"That's not the OG Wick," they'll say, while wearing a skin that looks like a generic hitman from a mobile game. It’s a point of pride. It's about the history. When Epic released the official collaboration, they even leaned into the meme by having a trailer where the two skins face off. It was a "passing of the torch" moment that only made the original even more legendary.
What You Can Actually Do Now
If you are hunting for the og john wick skin experience today, you have to be realistic.
- Check the Item Shop for the Official Skin: The real John Wick (Keanu) still rotates into the shop. If you want the suit and the assassin vibe, this is your only legal and safe option. Don't fall for "account selling" scams claiming to have The Reaper. It’s the fastest way to get banned or scammed.
- Appreciate the Variants: If you have the official skin, make sure you use the "Battle Damaged" style. It’s arguably more "John Wick" than the clean suit anyway.
- The High Octane Glider: If you somehow have the High Octane glider but not the skin, use it. It’s one of the few pieces of that set that still feels "current" without looking too dated.
The reality is that The Reaper belongs to the history books. It’s a relic of a time when Fortnite was still finding its identity and didn't have the billion-dollar licensing deals it has now. Whether you call him John Wick or The Reaper, the skin remains a symbol of the game's first true "sweat" era.
If you're lucky enough to have it in your locker, wear it. It’s a better flex than any 2,000 V-Buck skin you can buy today.
Next Steps for Collectors: Keep an eye on the Item Shop for the "Simple Sledge" pickaxe and the "Be Seeing You" emote. These official John Wick items are the best way to round out an assassin-themed locker if you missed the boat in 2018. If you're looking for that specific "suit" aesthetic, characters like Wildcard or Jack Rose offer a similar vibe, though they lack the cinematic history of the Baba Yaga.