Fortnite just dropped some big news that has the gaming world talking. The popular battle royale game is getting its very first official anthem called “Locked & Loaded” by rising artist d4vd. The story behind how d4vd went from Fortnite player to music superstar is absolutely wild. Let’s check it out!
Who is d4vd?
You might know d4vd from TikTok hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me.” His real name is Burke David, and yes, d4vd is pronounced “David.” What makes this collaboration special is that d4vd is a huge Fortnite fan himself.
He started as a Fortnite player who wanted to go professional. He was really good at building and editing, and he made money creating montage videos using copyrighted music. When he got hit with copyright claims and lost all his earnings, he was so frustrated. Then, his mother gave him awesome advice: “Why don’t you just make your own songs?” And that’s exactly what he did.
d4vd recorded his first songs on his phone in his sister’s closet. He put these original tracks in his montages and started making money again. Then, he made more money from the music than the Fortnite videos, so he switched careers completely.
Now, after becoming a multi-millionaire recording artist, d4vd is finally combining his two worlds. The kid who started making music just to save his Fortnite montages is now creating the game’s first official anthem. Talk about coming full circle! This has to be a dream come true for someone who began his entire music career because of Fortnite!
Fortnite’s First Official Anthem by d4vd Called Locked & Loaded
Epic Games teased the anthem with their classic “Wait, what’s that?” style announcement on X. The collaboration includes what looks like a music video featuring popular Fortnite skins like Midas, Skull Trooper, and the FNCS skin.
The song title “Locked & Loaded” perfectly captures the Fortnite battle royale spirit. d4vd shared a sneak peek, too, on Instagram with some cool artwork, and he seemed genuinely excited about the whole thing. Additionally, when fans asked d4vd about getting a Fortnite skin, he responded with “hm,” hinting that an Icon Series collaboration might also be coming, following Kai Cenat’s upcoming skin.
Here is the full music video:
When is Fortnite Locked & Loaded by d4vd Release Time?
Locked & Loaded was released on September 3rd, 2025, at 8 PM ET. Here are the dates and times for different time zones:
| Time Zone | Release Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern Time (ET) | September 3 – 8:00 PM |
| Pacific Time (PT) | September 3 – 5:00 PM |
| Europe (CET) | September 4 – 2:00 AM |
| India (IST) | September 4 – 5:30 AM |
| Japan (JST) | September 4 – 9:00 AM |
| Australia (AEST) | September 4 – 10:00 AM |
Given the timing and Epic’s track record, this could tie into the new Season or maybe Festival mode updates. d4vd’s story proves you can go from gaming in your bedroom to becoming a multi-millionaire artist. Not bad for a kid who just wanted to avoid copyright strikes.
