‘Fortnite’ adds football star Neymar Jr to the Battle Royale-style game
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Neymar’s got something extra to smile about now he’s a Fortnite character! Photo: APIf you love football and video games, this will make your week.
Epic Games confirmed soccer star Neymar Jr will make his Fortnite debut on April 27 in the battle royale video game. The Brazilian will be the first sports star featured within the game.
Players will get a chance to complete a series of Battle Pass quests to unlock his exclusive outfit and other items.
The game’s Creative mode will also feature a hub and island inspired by Neymar’s arrival, where players can compete in the Neymar Jr Cup for a chance to win a custom soccer boot from athletics brand Puma.
Neymar’s appearance in Fortnite was announced early last month as part of Epic Games’ reveal of Season 6 content, which includes wild animals and an appearance by Tomb Raider heroine Lara Croft.
The partnership with Neymar Jr is among several endeavours by Fortnite to team up with sports leagues. The video game has hosted several events and in-game items from the American football league NFL. Earlier this year, Epic released a Kickoff Set of gear representing 23 football clubs from around the world.
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The footballer 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,” Nate Nanzer, head of global partnerships at Epic Games, said.
“We definitely think of Fortnite as a platform for social connected experiences and not just the game.”
Users have been able to put the kits of football teams such as Manchester City and Juventus on their avatars since the start of the year, but Neymar is the first athlete with an unlockable “player skin”.
Nanzer said Neymar’s selection made sense because the footballer is a fan of the game – he streams himself playing Fortnite live on Twitch – and has nearly 150 million Instagram followers.