How to Fix Fortnite Festival Square button not working

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-09-19 07:37:03
Fortnite Festival, the popular free rhythm game mode within the Fortnite universe, has captivated millions with its high-energy gameplay and extensive music library. Players can perform songs using a variety of instruments, from guitar to drums and vocals, aiming to climb the leaderboards and master their favorite tracks. The game’s appeal lies in its accessibility, offering multiplayer on all platforms and local co-op on consoles. However, a recent update has caused a major setback for a significant portion of its player base, leading to widespread frustration and a search for solutions.Following the v37.20 update on September 10, 2025, players began experiencing a critical bug where certain buttons, particularly the square button on PlayStation and the X button on Xbox, ceased to function correctly. This issue is specifically affecting players who use custom keybinds for their gameplay, making it impossible to hit notes and effectively play the game. The problem has left many players frustrated, especially those who rely on custom layouts for a more comfortable or efficient playing experience on higher difficulty levels.

The Root of the Problem: Custom Keybinds and the v37.20 Update

Epic Games’ v37.20 update, which introduced new features like the Roly Poly spawner, Hive Stash chest, and other creative-mode assets, also brought an unexpected change to the game's core mechanics. As stated in the official patch notes, the developers decided to "deprecate custom Creative keybindings" for actions such as fire, target, crouch, jump, and sprint. This decision, while seemingly aimed at improving consistency for developers and players in Creative mode, has had a negative ripple effect on other game modes, including Fortnite Festival.While the exact reasoning for this change remains unclear, it has inadvertently broken the functionality of custom control schemes across the board. The bug is particularly prominent on console platforms, where the affected buttons are essential for hitting notes in songs. Players attempting to play on Expert or Hard difficulty are most impacted, as these modes require precise and consistent inputs. The game, in its current state, fails to correctly recognize the custom-assigned buttons, leading to missed notes and a ruined performance, even if the player is hitting the correct button.The issue has been widely reported on community forums and social media, with Epic Games acknowledging the problem and confirming that they are investigating a fix. The official support channels have stated, "We're aware that the square button on PlayStation controllers or X button on Xbox controllers might be missing in-game when used with a Custom preset in Fortnite Festival. Our team is investigating the issue." However, as of now, there is no set date for a hotfix or permanent solution.

How to Fix the Broken Button Bug: A Temporary Workaround

Until Epic Games releases a patch to permanently resolve the customkeybind issue, the only viable solution is to revert to a default,preset control scheme. This may not be ideal for players who have builtmuscle memory around their custom layouts, but it is the only way toensure all buttons are functional in Fortnite Festival and other game modes.

Here are the steps to take to apply this temporary fix:

  • Access the Settings Menu: From the Fortnite lobby, navigate to the settings menu.
  • Go to the Controller Options: Within the settings, find the "Controller Options" or "Keybinds" section.
  • Change Your Keybinds to a Preset: If your current keybinds are set to "Custom," change them to one of the default presets, such as "Standard," "Combat Pro," or "Thumb."
  • Save and Apply Changes: Make sure to save and apply the new settings before exiting the menu.

After applying a preset, your game should correctly register all button inputs, allowing you to play Fortnite Festival without the square/X button issue. While this workaround allows you toplay the game, it is not a long-term solution. Players on higherdifficulties, in particular, may find the default keybinds awkward ordifficult to use.

The frustration is understandable, as countlessplayers have spent hours perfecting their custom layouts. The v37.20update, which was intended to bring new content, has instead created asignificant obstacle for the game's dedicated community. For now, thebest course of action is to utilize the temporary fix and wait for anofficial update from Epic Games. The company is known for its quickresponse to game-breaking bugs, and a solution is likely to be releasedin the near future. Keeping an eye on the official Fortnite and Epic Games social media channels is the best way to stay informed about a permanent fix for this frustrating issue.

Tags: Battle Royale, Fortnite Skins, V-Bucks, Fortnite Challenges, Fortnite Events, Fortnite Map, Fortnite Weapons, Fortnite S
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows PC, macOS,​ PlayStation 4 PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 PS5, Xbox Series X|S Android, iOS
Genre(s): Survival, battle royale, sandbox
Developer(s): Epic Games
Publisher(s): Epic Games
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Release date: July 25, 2017
Mode: Co-op, multiplayer
Age rating (PEGI): 12+
Video preview



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