Brazilian soccer star Neymar joins Fortnite as video game universe expands into movies, music and sports
- The Brazilian soccer star, with 150 million Instagram followers, is a fan of Fortnite, and players can unlock him as an skin for their avatars
- His tie-in follows US rapper Travis Scott, whose avatar performed to 12 million Fortnite players in 2020
Gamers are used to taking control of Neymar on virtual soccer pitches, but the Brazilian star has found a new field to run wild on: the shoot’em up mega-hit Fortnite.
Neymar’s recruitment is part of a strategy by Epic Games to expand the universe of Fortnite beyond its kill-or-be-killed “Battle Royale” by wheeling in the sports, music and film worlds.
The soccer player follows in the footsteps of US rapper Travis Scott, whose avatar performed five virtual concerts on Fortnite last year seen by 12 million players.
The game, which has 350 million users, has also hosted a “Short Nite” film festival and a “Party Royale” – a virtual party with famous DJs.
“In a time like now, where getting together in person is more challenging, we think it’s incredibly important to have these social connected experiences virtually,” says Nate Nanzer, head of global partnerships at Epic Games. “We definitely think of Fortnite as a platform for social connected experiences and not just the game.”
