Ever sinceFortnite’s first crossover withAvengers: Infinity War, Epic has made many licensing deals, some of which fit perfectly into the game while others just seemed odd. Fans have gotten characters from the Marvel and DC comics, movies such asJohn Wick,Alien,Predator, and various pieces ofStar Warscontent. There have been oddities such as its collaboration with Air Jordon and huge successes such asFortnite’s live Marshmello concert and the Travis Scott live event. There are even rumors of an upcomingFamily Guycollaboration, adding Peter Griffin into theFortniteuniverse.
While the collaborations keep piling up, some fans have said enough is enough. It has gotten to the point where entire seasons of the game are dedicated to one crossover event or another. Epic Games has even started incorporating real-life content-creators and social media influencers with its Icon Series of cosmetic items.Personalities such as Ninja, Loserfruit, TheGrefg, and the latest in the line, Lazarbeam, are available to purchase fromFortnite’s Item Shop in bundles offered in limited windows of time, but all of these collaborations are actually a good thing.
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A Boon to Players
While someFortniteplayers may see the excessive amount of collaborations and licensing deals as a cash grab, they seem to miss how much these deals help the game and open doors for many more future opportunities. Yes, Epic Games makes a good deal of money from them, but that money helps keepFortniterunning. As a game that made part of its name in pop culture, it also helpsFortnitestay relevant.Every TikTok dance, every character deal, and every addition to the Icon series helpsFortnitestay fresh, bringing new fans to the game each day.
Coherent Storylines
While not necessarily known for its amazing story,Fortnitehas managed to keep a pretty interesting storylinegoing, one that includes many of these licensed crossovers. In fact, theFortniteteam takes a very Marvel Studios-like stance when it comes to the story of the Island, planning out future Seasons well in advance, though in broader strokes, allowing players to directly influence the story through events and by keeping an open ear on social media. If anything, loads of licensed IPs help keep the story fresh and allow Epic to explore different avenues that it could not do independently.
The Hits Keep Coming
Fortnitecollaborations do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Major deals with companies like Disney and Hasbro open many more avenues to explore when it comes to bringing new characters into the game. While Disney keeps the Marvel and Star Wars lines open, it also opens up possibilities with Fox properties, as players may soon see withFamily Guy’s inclusionif recent datamines are to believed. Hasbro could mean the introduction ofTransformers, Power Rangers, or evenMy Little Pony into the wonderful melting pot of a battle royale game.
Epic would not keep licensing characters if it were not working for the studio. Other companies would not be makingthese dealseither if they did not see some benefit from their inclusion inFortniteand its insane story.
Fortniteis currently available for Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
