Published: May 29, 2026 
Fortnite is giving away free backbling this weekend to celebrate the first Fortnite Community Day. All you have to do is gift something to a friend in the game. But how? Here is the step-by-step guide to get Cuddlemania Clawz backbling for free in Fortnite.
What Is the Cuddlemania Clawz Backbling in Fortnite?
The Cuddlemania Clawz Backbling is a bonus cosmetic that Epic is handing out for free as part of Fortnite Community Day. This backbling has been unreleased since Chapter 4 Season 2, which was in August 2020, so this is a rare item that most players never got a chance to own.
How to Get the Cuddlemania Clawz Backbling for Free
You just need to gift any V-Bucks item from the Item Shop to a friend during the event window. That's it. You do not need to buy something and then gift the same item separately. Just gift any purchased V-Bucks item to a friend (it doesn't matter whether it's cheap or expensive), and both of you will get the backbling.
This was confirmed by leaker HYPEX and further clarified that it is just the gifting action that counts, not buying for yourself. Here is the step-by-step guide:
- Open the Fortnite Item Shop.
- Pick any item that costs V-Bucks.
- Gift it to a friend using the gifting option.
- Both you and your friend get the Cuddlemania Clawz Backbling on Monday.
Event Schedule
The event starts one hour after the Item Shop refreshes on Friday. Here is the full schedule so you know exactly when it goes live in your time zone.
| Time Zone | Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | Friday, May 29 – 5:00 PM |
| Eastern Time (ET) | Friday, May 29 – 8:00 PM |
| Central Europe (CET) | Saturday, May 30 – 2:00 AM |
| India (IST) | Saturday, May 30 – 5:30 AM |
| Japan (JST) | Saturday, May 30 – 9:00 AM |
| Australia (AEST) | Saturday, May 30 – 10:00 AM |
Just keep in mind that you will not see the Cuddlemania Clawz Backbling in your locker right away. Epic has confirmed that rewards will be granted on Monday, June 1st, 2026, so there might be a short wait after the event ends. Make sure you complete your gift before Sunday, May 31st, at 5:00 PM PT so you do not miss the window.
If you were already planning to gift a friend something from the shop, just wait until the weekend. You will get a rare backbling that has been sitting unreleased for years, and so will your friend, just for doing something you might have done anyway.
Even if you were not planning a gift, I think spending a small amount on something like a spray or a small cosmetic just to unlock a rare backbling is a pretty good deal.
