You remember the sound. That specific, metallic thwack when the Victory Umbrella deployed over the Chapter 1 Map. If you’re carrying the Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella—officially known as the "Snowflake" glider—you aren't just showing off a win. You’re holding a piece of digital history. It’s a blue and white badge of honor from a time before the game became a global multiverse of brands and concerts. Back then, we were just trying to figure out how to build a 1x1 without panicking.
Getting a win in late 2017 or early 2018 was different. The player base was growing fast, sure, but the "sweat" culture hadn't fully calcified yet. Most of us were just crouch-walking through Wailing Woods, terrified of a bush. But if you managed to be the last one standing during that specific window of time, the Snowflake was your reward. It’s arguably one of the most respected items in the entire locker. Honestly, it says more about your skill and longevity than a hundred bought skins ever could.
The Snowflake Glider: Not Just Another Cosmetic
Let’s be real for a second. Most gliders today are loud. They have built-in music, trailing effects, and massive wingspans that block half your screen. The Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella is the exact opposite. It’s minimal. It’s clean. Most importantly, it’s rare. It features a simple white snowflake pattern on a light blue canopy.
Why does this specific umbrella carry so much weight compared to, say, the Season 3 "Paper Parasol"? It’s the timing. Season 2 was the first time Epic Games introduced the Battle Pass system as we know it today. It ran from December 14, 2017, to February 21, 2018. If you weren't playing during those specific ten weeks, or if you couldn't clutch a Victory Royale, you missed it forever. There are no "item store" rotations for win umbrellas. You can’t buy your way into this club.
How the OG Umbrella Changed Everything
Before Season 2, the only win reward was the "The Umbrella," which was just a plain silver/grey texture. It was fine, but it didn't tell a story. When the Snowflake dropped, it signaled that Epic was going to treat seasons as distinct eras. It turned winning into a seasonal goal.
You’ve likely seen high-level streamers or pros like Ninja or Tfue occasionally cycle back to this glider. It’s a subtle "flex." In a lobby full of glowing anime characters and superheroes, the person drifting down with a simple Snowflake is often the most dangerous player in the match. They’ve been here since the beginning. They know the physics. They remember the Double Pump.
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Why We Are Still Talking About It in 2026
The nostalgia for the OG era reached a fever pitch recently with the return of the OG Map. But here is the thing: Epic brought back the locations, but they didn't bring back the original rewards. The Snowflake remains locked in the accounts of those who earned it nearly a decade ago.
This scarcity creates a specific kind of "locker envy." New players see the Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella and realize there is a ceiling to their collection they can never pierce. It represents the "Old Guard." Interestingly, the demand for accounts containing this umbrella has fueled a grey market that Epic constantly fights against. It’s a testament to the design's staying power that such a simple pattern is still a top-tier status symbol.
The Technical Edge of Umbrellas
Beyond the rarity, there is a gameplay reason why people use the Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella. Visibility matters. Large gliders like the "Dragon" or "Millennium Falcon" are cool, but they are massive targets and obscure your view of enemies landing near you. Umbrellas have the smallest visual footprint in the game.
- They provide the clearest line of sight during the initial drop.
- They have a quieter deployment sound than many legendary gliders.
- Their vertical orientation makes it slightly harder for opponents below to track your exact center of mass.
Misconceptions About the Season 2 Win
I’ve heard people say that getting a win back then was "easy." That’s a total revisionist history. While people weren't "cranking 90s" to the sky limit, the game was much more unforgiving. There was less mobility. No cars. No slipstreams. If you were caught in the storm on the far side of the map, you were basically dead.
Winning the Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella required a different kind of strategy—positional awareness and bloom-fighting. You couldn't just use a "get out of jail free" item to escape a bad fight. Every Snowflake represents a win that was fought for in a much slower, more deliberate version of the game.
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Comparisons with Modern Seasonal Umbrellas
If you look at the umbrellas from Chapter 4 or Chapter 5, they are incredibly detailed. They have moving parts, transparency, and complex geometry. But they feel "busy." The Snowflake is a masterclass in "less is more." It fits the aesthetic of the original Fortnite art style—that slightly chunky, stylized look that the game has slowly drifted away from in favor of high-fidelity realism.
How to Handle Your OG Status
If you own this umbrella, you’ve probably noticed a trend. You land, and someone starts following you. They want to see the Snowflake. It makes you a target. There is a psychological element to wearing OG gear; people want to prove they can take down a "Season 2 vet."
Honestly, it’s a lot of pressure. But that’s the fun of it. You aren't just another player; you’re a boss fight for some kid who started playing last year.
Actionable Insights for Players and Collectors
If you are looking to understand the value of your locker or trying to identify these rare items in the wild, keep these points in mind:
Check the Pattern Closely
The Snowflake is often confused with later "winter" umbrellas by casual observers. The Season 2 version has a very specific hexagonal snowflake symmetry against a flat blue-grey background. It does not have the "icy" or "crystal" effects of the Season 7 or Chapter 2 Winter umbrellas.
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Account Security is Paramount
If your locker contains the Fortnite OG Season 2 Umbrella, you are at a higher risk for phishing attempts. Never share your login details or "check your account value" on third-party sites that require your Epic credentials. These items are irreplaceable.
The "Clean" Combo Strategy
To truly lean into the OG aesthetic, pair the Snowflake with "clean" skins. Using it with the Sparkle Specialist or even a simple "No Skin" (Default) setup is the ultimate way to signal you’re a veteran. It shows you don't need the flashy new shop items to look good.
Watch for "OG" Map Events
While the Snowflake itself won't return, Epic often releases "tribute" items during OG-themed events. These are great for newer players to get a similar vibe, but they will never replace the original serial ID of a Season 2 item. Keep an eye on the quest logs during these events to grab the closest thing possible.
The Snowflake isn't just a glider. It’s a timestamp. It’s a reminder of the nights spent at Dusty Depot and the terror of hearing a rocket launcher in the final circle. If you see one in the sky today, give it some space. That player has been through the wars.